Can be fantastic!
Although they may have fallen somewhat by the wayside during Ireland’s Celtic Tiger years, in recent years canned ‘store cupboard heroes’ have been firmly back on the menu, with foodies lining up to point out how they are just as good as fresh in nutritional terms, writes Gillian Hamill
Print11 August 2014
AT A GLANCE: CANNED FOODS
- The canned vegetables section is one of the most frequented sections of the supermarket in Ireland, with an estimated retail value of over €70 million per annum
- Demonstrating the category’s resurgence in recent years,the global canned food market has been forecast to reach a volume of over 23 million kilograms by 2015, an increase of 10.6% since 2010 (Source: Research and Markets, July 2013)
- Heinz Spaghetti is the brand leader within the tinned spaghetti category, with Heinz Spaghetti and Heinz Spaghetti Hoops being the category’s strongest performers
- Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup is not only the most popular variety in the Heinz ready to serve range of soups but it is also the best-selling tinned soup variety in the market
- Weight Watchers from Heinz is the number one healthy eating soup brand
- Batchelors retains its number one market leading position in baked beans, peas and pulses
- With an impressive 51% market share of baked beans, Batchelors continues to remain the nation’s favourite in the baked bean segment(Source: Kantar Worldpanel 27 April 2014)
“Sometimes tinned food will save our supper, particularly when we find ourselves slap-bang in the middle of the wretched hungry gap.” – Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
The canned foods category is experiencing a new lease of life with customers drawn to products that offer convenience and value-for-money. In fact, the canned vegetables section is one of the most frequented sections of the supermarket in Ireland, with an estimated retail value of over €70 million per annum. Demonstrating the category’s resurgence in recent years,the global canned food market is forecast to reach a volume of over 23 million kilograms by 2015, an increase of 10.6% since 2010 (Source: Research and Markets, July 2013) Manufacturers have also been eager to emphasise the nutritional benefits offered by many canned foods as well as innovating in taste and packaging to satisfy Irish consumers.
Reflecting the category’s rise in popularity and improved consumer perception in recent years, The Guardian reports that last year in the UK, sales of canned food rose to £2.4bn, with nearly all shoppers (99.2%) buying some kind of food in a tin, and not just beans either.
In fact, the canned food category has received support from some surprising quarters of late, with foodies and celebrity chefs keen to point out the category’s nutritional benefits. As Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recently highlighted: “It’s easy to be sniffy about food in tins. We hide them in the cupboard like so many brightly labelled larder louts. Not for them the on-the-kitchen-counter decorative status of jars of fancy pulses, pasta shapes and bottles of posh oils. But sometimes tinned food will save our supper, particularly when we find ourselves slap-bang in the middle of the wretched hungry gap, when the roots, tubers and brassicas of winter are dwindling and it seems aeons until spring’s leafy, juicy, sprightly bounty will make an appearance.”
Flavoursome tinned tomatoes, beans and pulses are also a hit with the celebrity cook, who added: “You can’t beat the instant gratification of being able to throw together a quick soup or salad at a moment’s notice.” The grande dame of homecooking, Delia Smith has also praised the ease and convenience provided by canned foods. In her popular 2008 cookbook entitled ‘How to Cheat at Cooking’, some fans were taken aback when she suggested using products such as tinned mince. However Smith firmly defended her recommendation, stating that the product had been painstakingly chosen for its high quality and was as good as fresh in nutritional terms.
Canz meanz Heinz!
H.J. Heinz boasts a vast range of canned foods including the iconic Heinz Beanz, Heinz Soups, Heinz Spaghetti and the Weight Watchers from Heinz range. As one of the world’s largest producers of tinned foods, the Heinz brand believes it is synonymous with quality, taste and daily life among consumers worldwide.
The brand adds that the compelling one of your five a day initiative across core Heinz Beanz, Heinz Spaghetti and selected Heinz Classic Soups, will ensure that these Heinz products will continue to stay relevant to consumers for years to come.
In Ireland perhaps the most famous of the Heinz tinned products is Heinz Beanz, which are available in a range of sizes and multipack formats including a Reduced Sugar and Salt variety, each with an easy-open ring pull.
Heinz is continuously expanding and updating its range of tinned spaghetti products in response to families’ ever-changing tastes. Heinz Spaghetti is the definitive brand leader with Heinz Spaghetti and Heinz Spaghetti Hoops being, by a large distance, the category’s strongest performers. Heinz Alphabetti Spaghetti is also an important part of the Heinz range available in both a 205g and 400g size. Consistently popular licences within the Heinz pasta shapes range including Peppa Pig, Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer and Hello Kitty illustrate Heinz’s commitment to the category and its status as the brand leader in tinned pasta.
Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup is not only the most popular variety in the Heinz ready to serve range of soups but it is also the best-selling tinned soup variety in the market. The Heinz Big Soup range offers a selection of tasty and hearty, chunky soups which are ideal for a sustaining lunch or for a light dinner with an extensive range of traditional varieties including Chicken & Vegetable and Beef and Vegetable.
Heinz remains ever responsive to consumer demands for healthy and convenient products that do not compromise on taste. Weight Watchers from Heinz, the number one healthy eating soup brand, continues to offer older favourites such as Chicken Noodle and newer varieties such as Tuscan Minestrone and Tomato & Basil. All Weight Watchers from Heinz varieties exclusively carry the Weight Watchers points value on-pack.
Passionately Irish
Batchelors is an iconic Irish brand, which has been enjoyed by Irish households for generations. It still retains its number one market leading position in baked beans, peas and pulses, despite operating in an extremely competitive category. With an impressive 51% market share* of baked beans, it continues to remain the nation’s favourite.
Tinned foods are convenient, versatile and are packed full of nutrients – high in fibre and protein and low in fat. Canning is a long-established natural means of preserving nature’s goodness. Batchelors has a rich Irish heritage dating back to 1935 and the brand is proud of the fact that it continues canning produce in Dublin to this very day. ‘Irishness’ is something that Batchelors is absolutely passionate about, especially in these times.
Batchelors Irish Peas are a variety specific to the Irish market and are grown by Irish farmers in Irish soil. Penetration in the pea category has declined in recent years and reinvigorating the pea category is a priority for Batchelors over the next year. Batchelors Easy Peasy Peas are due to hit shelves this month and it is Batchelors’ first piece of pea innovation for some time. The new microwavable format, design and serving suggestion on-pack will hopefully attract younger shoppers and help broaden the pea appeal in the Irish market.
With attractive ongoing in-store promotions, ranging from multi-buys on single cans to special offers on multipacks, Batchelors really has something to suit everyone.
Batchelors prides itself on high product standards, strong brand values and focused consumer communications which are all key to ensuring that Batchelors remains Ireland’s number one canned brand.
The next 18 months promises to be an extremely busy time for Batchelors. The brand is 80 years old next year and the second half of the year will include a strong communications campaign and further innovation.
*(Source: Kantar Worldpanel 27 April 2014)
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