The Dip & Squeeze can be used by either peeling back the lid for easy dipping, or tear off the tip to squeeze onto foods. The new package holds three times as much Heinz Ketchup as the traditional packet.
Heinz says the Dip and Squeeze packets will begin replacing the traditional rectangular ketchup packets later at Wendy’s this year. Smaller chains including Chick-fil-A Inc., Smashburger Master LLC, and International Dairy Queen Inc. started carrying the packets earlier this year.
McDonald’s Corp. and Burger King Holdings Inc. are testing the packets but declined to comment on the results.
The new Heinz Dip & Squeeze product marks the first ketchup packet makeover for the foodservice industry in 42 years. Heinz also is extending its range of lifestyle-driven products available in retail to include Simply Heinz Tomato Ketchup, which is made with sugar, instead of high fructose corn sweetener. The product will be available in 32-oz. and 15-oz. ketchup bottles beginning in March.
To help in the effort to reduce consumers’ sodium intake, Heinz will reduce sodium by 15 percent in its core line of ketchup beginning this summer.
Coke offers 12.5 bottles as alternative to large bottles
Coca-Cola has launch 12.5-ounce, 89-cent bottles to accompany the 16-ounce, 99-cent bottles it rolled out nationally last year as an alternative to 20-ounce bottles in U.S. convenience stores. It will also slash the suggested retail price on its recently introduced eight-pack of 7.5-ounce Coke “mini” cans in supermarkets by about 20 percent to $2.99 to try and lure more customers.
The proliferation represents a departure from years of relying heavily on three basic packages — 20-ounce bottles in convenience stores and two-liter bottles and cases of 12-ounce cans in supermarkets — as it battled rivals PepsiCo Inc. and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. in the $75 billion U.S. retail soda market.
Although the smaller packages carry lower sticker prices, the consumer pays more per ounce. At the same time, Coke is raising prices on larger bottles and cans.
Wendy introduces new line of cheeseburgers
Wendy’s has introduced a new line of Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy Cheeseburgers, a product launch it has tested for nearly a year and a major move sources say is needed to spark sales.
The cheeseburgers, named for the brand’s founder and longtime spokesman Dave Thomas, feature thicker beef patties, toasted and buttered buns, and upgraded ingredients like crinkle-cut pickles and red onions.
The burger’s suggested retain price is around $3.99 for a single, $5.19 for a double and $6.59 for a triple.