Heinz is counting on the success of a new canned pasta range, which it believes will both improve numeracy among kids and give them a tasty meal.

The company is launching Numberetti spaghetti, a numeric version of its Alphabetti line, to bring an element of both fun and education to dinner time.

At the same time it is also looking to attract children through a tie-in with Nickelodeon Jnr cartoon character Dora the Explorer for a new pasta shapes line.

Both products are available in 200g and 400g cans and are a source of multigrains, in keeping with the company's switch from pure durum wheat last month - a move which it said had boosted its share of the £103.2m canned pasta category from 48% to 58% [IRI 52 w/e 22 April 2006].

Nathan Ansell, senior brand manager for pasta meals, said: "If the success of Alphabetti is anything to go buy, Numberetti spaghetti will be just as big a hit with mums and kids."

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