Expert's verdict... 7/10 This is a strange one. UK consumers are used to drowning their meals in wet sauces, so this is not what you'd imagine for a cooking sauce. The challenge will come in helping the consumer to distinguish what this product is all about. The instructions are easy to follow, though. The Tex Mex Chilli Con Carne was superb. The flavours were much better than you'd hope for from a wet sauce. However, the Mexican Fajita was not so good - it just seemed that there was something missing from the mix. Nigel Ashton, category controller, Nisa-Today's Consumer's verdict...7/10 The packaging is pretty lively but I'm not sure I'd pick it out on the shelf. I'm a bit parochial when it comes to cooking sauces and tend to opt for the wet products for making things like chilli and curry - as do most shoppers. Then again, it was interesting to try something new and it was as simple as using a sauce. The flavour was better. It just made the meal taste nicer - the mix acted as a complement to the meat, rather than overpowering it. I'd probably buy these again given the price and at least three of the flavours appeal to me. There's a good selection available. Lisa Burrows, customer services, Plymouth A year down the line... Branston Bloomin Big Baked Beans Company: Premier Foods Launch Price: 49p Today's price: 49p Branston Bloomin Big Baked Beans was launched as a limited-edition range. However, Premier Foods has decided to retain it as a permanent offering because of its "great success" in the competitive beans category, a spokeswoman told The Grocer. Since launch in April last year, the range has clocked up sales of £500,000, she said. The range remains a small part of Branston's overall beans business valued at £31.5m [Nielsen].

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