Read more: Nicki Minaj Launches Range Of Barbie Pink Vegan Sneakers

The limited edition sauce is in collaboration with Mattel, the owners of the Barbie brand, and it was released to celebrate Barbie’s 65th birthday. 

The launch comes in the wake of the huge success of the Barbie film last year. It starred Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, and it became the highest grossing film of 2023 with its USD $1.36 billion earnings. Soon after the film’s release, Heinz posted a mock up of a Barbie-themed sauce to Instagram – and decided to bring it to life after huge public demand.

“Barbie well and truly won the hearts of Brits all over again last year, and after seeing the reaction this sauce brought to our fans on social media, we knew we had to make it a reality,” said Thiago Rapp, director of taste elevation at Heinz. “We’re always looking for ways to innovate and give our fans what they want, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring this iconic partnership with Mattel to life.”

On its website, Heinz describes the sauce as “the perfect pink pairing for burgers and brings extra smokiness to everything from chips to pizzas.” The mayo is available to buy at Tesco stores and online at Heinz to Home. 

Read more: 10 Vegan Sandwich Ideas

Heinz embraces veganism

The Barbie sauce is the latest in a long line of vegan products from Heinz. Some of Heinz’s most famous products – including Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, and Baked Beans – are all accidentally vegan. Heinz has also previously released plant-based versions of many of its non-vegan best-sellers.

It released egg and dairy free takes on its famous Mayonnaise and Salad Cream back in 2020, a decision that the company said was driven by the rise in veganism and flexitarianism. 

In 2022, Heinz announced that launch of vegan versions of its iconic Cream of Tomato Soup, as well as a meat-free Beanz and Vegan Sausages tin. “Our incredibly exciting (and incredibly delicious) Heinz plant-based innovations have been several years in the making to provide the iconic taste of Heinz, but now plant-based!” Manel Jordão, brand manager at Heinz, said in a statement at the time. 

Read more: How To Make This Gluten-Free Asparagus Quiche (With A Quinoa Crust)

The post Heinz Unveils ‘Barbie’ Sauce: A Pink Vegan BBQ Mayo appeared first on Plant Based News.

The products move away from the traditional chicken nugget trope to showcase beans and veggies instead. They come in three variations, two of which are suitable for vegans. 

Plant-based eaters can choose from Original (made with tomato and sweetcorn) and Curry (with parsnip, carrot, coconut, and mild curry spices). Each flavor is coated in a crispy crumb and shaped like beans, presumably as a homage to one of Heinz’s most iconic products.

The product has been developed in response to what Heinz identified as a need for nutritious food that can be prepared quickly and, potentially, without meat.

“We know that parents want quick, easy meals that their kids will eat – but they also want them to be delicious and without any nasties,” Sophie Higgins, head of growth platform for Heinz, said in a statement.

“We’re also seeing more parents opting for meat-free options at least once a week. And of course, if we can help parents get some extra veggies into their kids’ mealtimes, we know that’s a bonus too.”

Heinz puts beans on the menu

The Magical Beanz Nuggetz are the latest in a range of products launched by Heinz to reimagine beans as a meal staple. The Nuggetz follow Beanz Bowls, burgers, and other releases over the last year.

Most recently, Heinz unveiled newly veganized versions of its classic tins of beans and sausages and cream of tomato soup. 

Heinz magic Beanz Nuggetz are available to buy now from Asda and online from Ocado.

The post Heinz Launches Kid-Friendly Vegan ‘Magical Beanz Nuggetz’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

The move comes after repeated requests from consumers and fans, and follows extensive recipe development processes. 

Both vegan products contain one of your five recommended portions of vegetables a day. They have been made without the use of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

“Our incredibly exciting (and incredibly delicious) Heinz plant-based innovations have been several years in the making to provide the iconic taste of Heinz, but now plant-based!” Manel Jordão, brand manager at Heinz, said in a statement. 

“We’re sorry it’s been such a long time coming but trust us when we say they’ve been well worth the wait. And just in time for Veganuary too!”

The launches come hot on the heels of Heinz’s Vegan Christmas Dinner Big Soup. Released in limited numbers at the end of last month, the soup was a response to both the growing demand for plant-based food and the popularity of the meat version in 2021.

Veganuary 2023: the biggest yet?

Veganuary has been growing each year since it launched in 2014.

This year’s event saw more than 620,000 people sign up, and more than 1,500 new products released to coincide with the meat-free eating challenge.

It is anticipated that 2023 will surpass both of these figures – especially with brands such as Heinz looking to roll out plant-based versions of their most iconic food items.

“This is SUCH exciting news! These products are British staples and our participants have consistently told us they would love vegan versions so it’s wonderful to see Heinz responding to this growing demand for plant-based options,” Dr. Toni Vernelli, international head of communications and marketing for Veganuary, said in a statement.

“Veganuary’s role is to help people choose plant-based foods, whether their motivation is health, planet, people or animals. And our job is made much easier when people can simply choose vegan versions of their favorite foods. Thank you, Heinz!”

In recent weeks, other legacy brands including Chocomel and Laughing Cow have unveiled vegan versions of their flagship products. Both come just in time for 31 days of animal-free dining. (Those interested can sign up for Veganuary here).

Heinz Creamy Tomato Soup (RRP £1.70) and Heinz Beanz and Vegan Sausages (RRP £2) will be available to buy at Ocado from December 28, 2022. They will be available at Sainsbury’s from January 8, 2023.

The post Heinz Launches Vegan Cream Of Tomato Soup And Beans With Meatless Sausages appeared first on Plant Based News.

It comes as Heinz says it wants to “make sure even more people than ever can enjoy what is fast becoming a festive favorite.” 

The newly developed vegan recipe is filled with plant-based sausage, stuffing balls, and root vegetables, all in a thick gravy. It comes after Heinz released plant-based burgers and mince in October, indicating the brand is embracing the ever-growing vegan market.

“After last year’s reaction to Heinz Christmas Dinner Big Soup, bringing it back again this year was a no brainer,” Heinz Soup’s marketing manager Bahar Kiransa said in a statement.

“We’ve been hard at work all year perfecting our recipes for both the meat and vegan versions. We are particularly proud to be introducing the vegan version this year, as everyone deserves to be able to try the delicious flavours of our much-loved Heinz Christmas Dinner Soup.”

Last year’s meat-filled version is said to have garnered huge public support, selling out in hours. It also secured celebrity fans including Drew Barrymore. 

As a self-confessed flexitarian and ambassador for Quorn, she might prefer the vegan recipe.

Vegan Christmas food on the rise

It was reported in 2021 that 71 percent of Millennials planned to enjoy a vegan Christmas. This tied in with a slew of festive releases from major supermarket chains.

Last year was arguably the most vegan-friendly Christmas to date, but 2022 is already showing signs of eclipsing last year’s selections.

Recently, Asda announced its largest-ever plant-based festive range, boasting 97 food items. Shoppers can choose from chocolate festive baubles, vegan turkey, and even plant-based brie with sweet chili dip. 

Marks and Spencer has also unveiled its festive line-up. Vegan customers are able to enjoy plant-based reindeer buns, as well as traditional Christmas classics. 

The Heinz vegan Christmas Dinner Big Soup is available now from selected Asda stores. It’s priced at £2.00.

The post Heinz Launches ‘Vegan Christmas Dinner’ Soup – Complete With Stuffing And Gravy appeared first on Plant Based News.

The company has teamed up with cult-favorite What the Pitta! to launch the Doner Bap Special.

Vegan doner bap

It features Heinz’s vegan mayonnaise, vegan cheese, fresh salad, and What the Pitta!’s signature doner meat.

The meat-free dish is available for two-months and debuts this week at What the Pitta! locations in Manchester, Brighton, and Camden, London*.

Heinz X What the Pitta!

Claire Traynor is the Head of Foodservice at Kraft Heinz. In a statement sent to PBN, she said: “We’re excited to partner with What the Pitta! – a well-loved and truly exciting innovator when it comes to all things vegan. 

“We know that more and more people are choosing to follow a plant-based diet, with veganism and flexitarianism continuing steadily on the rise. 

“This brings a fresh opportunity for operators to satisfy this emerging consumer need with vegan menu options that don’t compromise on taste.”

Traynor also said that Heinz ‘recognizes the importance of offering our customers a plant-based mayo alternative’ which it says ‘tastes delicious’.

She then concluded: “The Doner Bap Special created in partnership with What the Pitta! demonstrates how simple it is to adapt menus to be vegan-friendly using Heinz [Seriously] Good Vegan Mayo.”

Moreover, Cem Yildiz, co-founder of What the Pitta, added: “We’re really looking forward to this collaboration.

“Heinz is a well-loved household brand and it’s great to see it embracing the plant-based movement but also supporting small businesses. 

“Its vegan mayo has already been really well received by the vegan community through their launch into retail and we’re excited to build on that.”

*Due to COVID-19, the Doner Bap Special is available on Deliveroo from What the Pitta! sites currently open for takeaway

The post Heinz Partners Award-Winning Eatery To Launch Vegan Doner Bap In UK appeared first on Plant Based News.

Food giant Heinz has changed the recipe of its No Added Sugar beans to make them suitable for vegans.

The product, which was previously only suitable for vegetarians, came under fire last year after Heinz admitted it contained an unknown ingredient deriving from animals. 

Vegan recipe 

According to an Instagram post by Accidentally Vegan UK, the beans previously contained honey extract – which has now been removed to make them plant-based.

A spokesperson for Heinz told Plant Based News: “All Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz being produced now are suitable for vegans and the new packs are rolling into stores over the next month or so with a callout saying the recipe is vegan on the side of the pack.

‘Going the right way!’

The announcement was well-received by Wetherspoons’ fans – after its vegan breakfast was branded ‘ridiculous’ for not containing beans. 

“I’m so happy. Can finally have a spoons brekkie that isn’t dry af,” one user commented. 

“Great move, isn’t it crazy that we still have these animal ingredients in products when there is NO NEED! So frustrating on the whole but surely going the right way!” another person said.

The post Heinz’ ‘No Added Sugar Beans’ Now Suitable For Vegans appeared first on Plant Based News.