Company: Heinz
RSP: £1.49
Market size: £558m (sauces and condiments)
The competition: Doritos Dips, Levi Roots, Encona
The consumer
The flavours were pretty good. The curry sauce is particularly worth a mention, as it went very well with some fries. My gripe with this product, however, is that I can't really see when I would actually make a conscious decision to use it. On chips I'd use ketchup and on tortillas I'd use chunky salsa. If it was sitting in the fridge I'd maybe bring it out from time to time as a change, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it. Two stars (out of five)
Jerome Tosoni, conference producer, Tunbridge Wells
The retailer
This is a strange move from Heinz and it feels like a range extension too far. Is Heinz running out of ideas? It was a hassle to pour the sauce into a different receptacle and then microwave it. Why didn't they choose a pot that could actually be heated? The point of dipping sauces is that they are impulse - and all this faffing is hardly convenient. But the curry flavour was tasty and the garlic & chive sauce was good. I still wouldn't pay more than £1 for it, though. Two stars
Nigel Ashton, business manger, Nisa-Today's
The Grocer
The jar asks 'What will you dip in yours?' And to be honest, I'm still at a loss. The dips taste adequate enough with chips, crisps and meats - the salsa being the standout - but would I choose these over a specialist condiment? Absolutely not. It smacks of Heinz hedging its bets, which in fmcg innovation is frankly unforgivable. They could find their niche as a ubiquitous barbecue product. But why launch them in mid-winter? Bizarre. Two stars
Nick Hughes, senior features writer
RSP: £1.49
Market size: £558m (sauces and condiments)
The competition: Doritos Dips, Levi Roots, Encona
The consumer
The flavours were pretty good. The curry sauce is particularly worth a mention, as it went very well with some fries. My gripe with this product, however, is that I can't really see when I would actually make a conscious decision to use it. On chips I'd use ketchup and on tortillas I'd use chunky salsa. If it was sitting in the fridge I'd maybe bring it out from time to time as a change, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it. Two stars (out of five)
Jerome Tosoni, conference producer, Tunbridge Wells
The retailer
This is a strange move from Heinz and it feels like a range extension too far. Is Heinz running out of ideas? It was a hassle to pour the sauce into a different receptacle and then microwave it. Why didn't they choose a pot that could actually be heated? The point of dipping sauces is that they are impulse - and all this faffing is hardly convenient. But the curry flavour was tasty and the garlic & chive sauce was good. I still wouldn't pay more than £1 for it, though. Two stars
Nigel Ashton, business manger, Nisa-Today's
The Grocer
The jar asks 'What will you dip in yours?' And to be honest, I'm still at a loss. The dips taste adequate enough with chips, crisps and meats - the salsa being the standout - but would I choose these over a specialist condiment? Absolutely not. It smacks of Heinz hedging its bets, which in fmcg innovation is frankly unforgivable. They could find their niche as a ubiquitous barbecue product. But why launch them in mid-winter? Bizarre. Two stars
Nick Hughes, senior features writer
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