Having built up a sizeable plant-based portfolio of products throughout last year, Heinz is going big legumes this Veganuary with an online show in collaboration with Channel 4, Heinz Flex Kitchen (YouTube, weekly).

The format sees a comedian make a meal for a large group, with the help of a sassy sentient microwave called Flex.

The first episode featured Kerry Godliman, who arrived at Green Gazelles Rugby Club with plans to cook the team a cheesy spanakopita. Not a great idea for an all-vegan team.

“I would not advise you to cook this dish for them,” said the robot microwave. “It is the format…you will obey the format.”

But fear not. Heinz’s full plant-based range was right there, meaning Godliman could whip up some vegan kebab wraps in no time using Heinz Beanz Burgerz and the brand’s vegan garlic aioli.

Flex – somewhere between HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey and POD from Snog Marry Avoid? – proved a pretty hilarious foil for Godliman. There was genuine chemistry in the makeshift, pitch-side kitchen.

More laughs are certain in coming episodes – which steer a course somewhere between GBBO and Taskmaster in tone – set to star the likes of Alex Brooker, Suzi Ruffell, Lou Sanders and Phil Wang.

Commercial content – of which there is a lot of in grocery – can so easily fall flat. Anything comedy-based is soon stripped of any humour by the corporate sign-off process. But by acknowledging the fact it is sponsored content up front, securing top comedy talent and nailing the comic device with Flex, Heinz is on to a winner here.

Topics