Company: Heinz
RSP: £1.99
Market size: £92m
The competition: Garner’s, Haywards, Baxters
The consumer
Heinz pickles are really tasty. They have a tang to them that tingles on the tongue and a lovely aftertaste that stays with you throughout your meal – without being too heavy. It’s kind of an old-fashioned taste – the way I remember them from childhood. I would buy them again, although I’m not swayed by the fancy jar and label. Four stars (out of five)
Tony Harris, entertainer, Hastings
The retailer
The product is very tasty and the packaging has a distinctive look, which will make it stand out on shelf. My concern is that pickles are not seen as a premiumised sector, and I am not sure consumers will splash out £1.99 for a 300g jar of pickled beetroot, particularly in the middle of a credit crunch. If you consider that you can buy a 440g jar of Heinz baby beetroot for £1.19, expecting consumers to pay £1.99 for the premium offering might be pushing it too far. Three stars
Nigel Ashton, business manager, Nisa-Today’s
The Grocer
This product is brilliant inside and out. The packaging screams premium, with its black and silver colours, and the actual product delivers on the expectations created by the upmarket look. The beetroots are full of flavour and are suitable as a starter, or as a side dish to liven up a meal. The pickles category as a whole should benefit from this quality offering, and its only likely barrier to sales success is the £1.99 price tag. Five stars
Lisa Riley, food & drink reporter
RSP: £1.99
Market size: £92m
The competition: Garner’s, Haywards, Baxters
The consumer
Heinz pickles are really tasty. They have a tang to them that tingles on the tongue and a lovely aftertaste that stays with you throughout your meal – without being too heavy. It’s kind of an old-fashioned taste – the way I remember them from childhood. I would buy them again, although I’m not swayed by the fancy jar and label. Four stars (out of five)
Tony Harris, entertainer, Hastings
The retailer
The product is very tasty and the packaging has a distinctive look, which will make it stand out on shelf. My concern is that pickles are not seen as a premiumised sector, and I am not sure consumers will splash out £1.99 for a 300g jar of pickled beetroot, particularly in the middle of a credit crunch. If you consider that you can buy a 440g jar of Heinz baby beetroot for £1.19, expecting consumers to pay £1.99 for the premium offering might be pushing it too far. Three stars
Nigel Ashton, business manager, Nisa-Today’s
The Grocer
This product is brilliant inside and out. The packaging screams premium, with its black and silver colours, and the actual product delivers on the expectations created by the upmarket look. The beetroots are full of flavour and are suitable as a starter, or as a side dish to liven up a meal. The pickles category as a whole should benefit from this quality offering, and its only likely barrier to sales success is the £1.99 price tag. Five stars
Lisa Riley, food & drink reporter
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