It’s Branston vs Heinz in the battle of the beans, says Claire Hu
The slogan ‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’ could soon change in consumers’ minds to ‘Beanz Might Also Mean Branston’. In one of the biggest food brand clashes of recent years, Premier Foods is taking on Heinz Baked Beanz, one of the UK’s most successful and iconic brands, with a Branston version.
Heinz has until now enjoyed a free run at the helm of the £222m baked beans market [TNS year to June 19, 2005]. Own label and other brands such as Premier’s own Crosse & Blackwell and HP have never been serious challengers to the brand, which Heinz says commands amazing loyalty from consumers and has a 67% share of the current market.
The launch of Branston Baked Beans raises questions about the future of Premier’s other beans brands. Heinz’s acquisition of HP Foods, now being scrutinised by the Competition Commission, will result in the HP beans brand being transferred to Heinz in 2006.
Meanwhile, Premier believes its new product has the potential to become a £70-£100m brand by the end of 2007. It is busy finalising a budget thought to be in excess of £10m for consumer communications over the next six months, £5m of which will be spent on national press, TV, radio, sampling and PR over the remainder of this year.
Presenter Tess Daly will be the face of Branston Baked Beans and marketing activity is likely to be based on the results of 750,000 consumer taste tests in supermarket car parks, comparing the product to Heinz’s.
Martin Hall, head of convenience brands for Premier’s convenience foods sector, was involved in the first Gary Lineker Walkers crisps commercials more than a decade ago, as part of its challenge to Golden Wonder, and believes there are parallels with the Branston/Heinz battle. As well as increasing interest in the canned goods aisles, he believes it’s about time there is a credible alternative to Heinz. “It’s a big opportunity because of the size of the market. Baked beans is growing in value, but that is generally because the brand leader keeps putting up the price, not because more consumers are entering the market. We think there is room for another brand and that’s got to be good for the whole market.”
Although he is coy about Branston’s chances of ever replacing Heinz in the top spot, Hall thinks it has legs to rapidly become a sizeable number two.
It’s canny timing on Premier’s part. Heinz has frozen its above-the-line marketing spend as it continues a strategic review of its European portfolio and global structure, with possible plans to sell some parts of the business, such as seafood, and focus on its core products. That means Heinz may have to look at price reductions to stop Premier snapping at its heels, although it is highly unlikely that there will be a repeat of the baked beans price wars of the 1990s as they are one of the few canned goods showing value growth as consumers recognise their health credentials.
Premier’s marketing will focus on the tastiness of the product and its high spice and tomato content, with consumers invited to vote for their preferred brand through an on-pack mechanism. “Branston Baked Beans will be all about foodie values. We believe we taste better - it’s baked beans with a bit more oomph,” says Hall. The company believes its beans know-how - it produces most own label beans as well as Crosse & Blackwell and HP - will give it an edge over previous me-too products.
Premier has ambitious plans to extend the Branston brand. It includes the launch of no-added-salt canned spaghetti and spaghetti loops, which taps into parental concerns about kids’ diets and also challenges Heinz’s recent development of multigrain pasta.
Its beans will have the same 44p rsp as Heinz and it will consider new variants and a low sugar and salt version at a later stage.
Helen Eaton, category marketing manager for grocery edibles at The Co-Operative Group, says: “The Branston launch is looking quite strong. The only problem might be people thinking it’s got pickle in it.”
The slogan ‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’ could soon change in consumers’ minds to ‘Beanz Might Also Mean Branston’. In one of the biggest food brand clashes of recent years, Premier Foods is taking on Heinz Baked Beanz, one of the UK’s most successful and iconic brands, with a Branston version.
Heinz has until now enjoyed a free run at the helm of the £222m baked beans market [TNS year to June 19, 2005]. Own label and other brands such as Premier’s own Crosse & Blackwell and HP have never been serious challengers to the brand, which Heinz says commands amazing loyalty from consumers and has a 67% share of the current market.
The launch of Branston Baked Beans raises questions about the future of Premier’s other beans brands. Heinz’s acquisition of HP Foods, now being scrutinised by the Competition Commission, will result in the HP beans brand being transferred to Heinz in 2006.
Meanwhile, Premier believes its new product has the potential to become a £70-£100m brand by the end of 2007. It is busy finalising a budget thought to be in excess of £10m for consumer communications over the next six months, £5m of which will be spent on national press, TV, radio, sampling and PR over the remainder of this year.
Presenter Tess Daly will be the face of Branston Baked Beans and marketing activity is likely to be based on the results of 750,000 consumer taste tests in supermarket car parks, comparing the product to Heinz’s.
Martin Hall, head of convenience brands for Premier’s convenience foods sector, was involved in the first Gary Lineker Walkers crisps commercials more than a decade ago, as part of its challenge to Golden Wonder, and believes there are parallels with the Branston/Heinz battle. As well as increasing interest in the canned goods aisles, he believes it’s about time there is a credible alternative to Heinz. “It’s a big opportunity because of the size of the market. Baked beans is growing in value, but that is generally because the brand leader keeps putting up the price, not because more consumers are entering the market. We think there is room for another brand and that’s got to be good for the whole market.”
Although he is coy about Branston’s chances of ever replacing Heinz in the top spot, Hall thinks it has legs to rapidly become a sizeable number two.
It’s canny timing on Premier’s part. Heinz has frozen its above-the-line marketing spend as it continues a strategic review of its European portfolio and global structure, with possible plans to sell some parts of the business, such as seafood, and focus on its core products. That means Heinz may have to look at price reductions to stop Premier snapping at its heels, although it is highly unlikely that there will be a repeat of the baked beans price wars of the 1990s as they are one of the few canned goods showing value growth as consumers recognise their health credentials.
Premier’s marketing will focus on the tastiness of the product and its high spice and tomato content, with consumers invited to vote for their preferred brand through an on-pack mechanism. “Branston Baked Beans will be all about foodie values. We believe we taste better - it’s baked beans with a bit more oomph,” says Hall. The company believes its beans know-how - it produces most own label beans as well as Crosse & Blackwell and HP - will give it an edge over previous me-too products.
Premier has ambitious plans to extend the Branston brand. It includes the launch of no-added-salt canned spaghetti and spaghetti loops, which taps into parental concerns about kids’ diets and also challenges Heinz’s recent development of multigrain pasta.
Its beans will have the same 44p rsp as Heinz and it will consider new variants and a low sugar and salt version at a later stage.
Helen Eaton, category marketing manager for grocery edibles at The Co-Operative Group, says: “The Branston launch is looking quite strong. The only problem might be people thinking it’s got pickle in it.”
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