Heinz unveils three new ranges: Farmers' Market, Taste of Home, and Soups of the World

2007 will be a pivotal year of innovation for the Heinz Soup portfolio, which will also expand into the chilled arena.

£3.5 million is being invested in this major piece of new product development, which marks the start of an ongoing plan by Heinz to further align soup with contemporary consumer trends. The three new ranges will be available in stores nationwide from August 2007.

Heinz Farmers' Market

Heinz's premier new soup range has been inspired by a traditional farmers' market and taps into the increasing desire amongst consumers for wholesome, hearty food that uses high quality ingredients.

Heinz Farmers' Market will be launched into both the Wet Ambient and Chilled categories to develop and grow the total soup market. This exciting new range aims to open up the Chilled category to a broader spectrum of consumers. Each variety will be priced between £1.49 and £1.69 as compared to the current branded chilled offering, which typically retails at £1.99.

Four delicious varieties: Three Bean & Smoked Bacon; Chicken & Country Vegetable; Woodland Mushroom and Slow Cooked Lamb & Root Vegetable will offer carefully selected, wholesome ingredients and an abundance of flavour. The range will be available in larger 515g portions, enabling families to savour these great tasting soups as a substantial meal. Striking packaging evokes the look and feel of a fresh and abundant marketplace.

Heinz Taste of Home

Heinz is bridging the gap between traditional soup and a more sustaining main meal with the launch of a new range of rich, hearty recipes inspired by classic homemade stews and casseroles. Available in handy single serving microwaveable pots, Heinz Taste of Home is set to revolutionise the Wet Ambient category.

The range is aimed at adults looking for a deliciously filling meal that is ready to eat in minutes. Four classic varieties: Beef Stew & Dumplings; Chicken & Vegetable Casserole; Country Vegetable Casserole and Lancashire Lamb Hotpot, have generous portions of meat, potatoes, dumplings and chunky vegetables.

Heinz Soups of the World

Heinz is introducing a new range of exciting soups inspired by popular dishes from countries around the world such as Italy, Morocco and Mexico. Each recipe is made with a careful blend of authentic ingredients and spices to deliver a real taste adventure. Larger 515g portions will encourage consumers to see Heinz Soups of the World as a tasty option for dinner, so extending usage occasions and driving penetration.

Research shows that consumers are becoming increasingly adventurous in their tastes and they now expect to find more variety and choice in the Wet Ambient soup aisle of their local supermarket. Heinz Soups of the World will take the category in a new direction by allowing existing and potential soup buyers to try something a little different under the iconic and trusted Heinz banner. Four great tasting varieties will be launched: Italian Minestrone; Moroccan Lamb with Chick Pea & Cous Cous; Indian Mild Chicken Curry and Mexican Chilli Beef & Bean.

"Soup fits perfectly with changing consumer needs and research clearly shows that there's scope to introduce some big, innovative new ranges to develop the total market and raise the bar for driving growth," commented Matthew Cullum, Marketing Manager, Heinz Soup. "Heinz is renowned for offering high quality soup in the traditional sense but the launch of Heinz Farmers' Market, Heinz Taste of Home and Heinz Soups of the World will attract new consumers by offering something a little different.

"It has also become increasingly clear that the key to unlocking growth across the total market is to introduce a premium range that sits across both Wet Ambient and Chilled. Heinz as an iconic, trusted brand is perfectly placed to do this with Farmers' Market. Both formats share the characteristics of a farmers' market and combine wholesome garden vegetables, root vegetables and traditional meats, such as lamb and chicken, but offer different recipes and varieties and meet distinct usage occasions. Consumers will be able to pop their favourite soup into the store cupboard or prepare it straight from the fridge."

This major new product launch and £3.5 million investment comes hot on the heels of the news that Heinz is to invest further in its core soup brands by introducing new varieties and enhancing packaging.

"These new ranges fit perfectly with three key trends: premium, sustenance and ethnic flavours and have all achieved phenomenal scores in our pre-launch trials. We are confident that they are perfectly placed to take the total market from strength to strength," concluded Matthew Cullum.