BARBECUERS are getting creative with their sauces and seeking out hotter tastes. That’s the word from Heinz: the sauce giant’s internal research reveals that there’s a lot more to summer sauce than a squidge of tomato ketchup on chips.
“The way consumers use hot and chilli sauces is constantly evolving during barbecue season,” said Emily Frank, senior brand manager at Heinz. “New, innovative uses include adding that extra zing to scratch-made marinades for chicken, and low and slow pulled pork rubs. Traditional uses, such as spicing up burgers and use as dollops for side-of-plate accompaniments with chips or potato wedges, continue to be popular.”
The company says it has responded to the trend with a new range of Heinz Chilli Sauces: Sweet Chilli; Jerk BBQ, Peri Peri; and Hot Pepper.
Colman’s, best known for its mustard, has added two new flavours into its BBQ Sauces range. Chunky Burger and Fiery BBQ Chilli arrived on shelves last month. Lola Danlos, Colman’s and Maille dressings brand manager at Unilever UK, said: “The two new variants reflect consumer demand for strong flavours, in particular spicy formats. Our new products proved incredibly popular during consumer testing.”
• Baxters also reports that its Jack Daniel’s Sauces customers like it hot. “Last year we listened to the demand for hotter and spicier world flavours, developing the limited-edition Extra Hot Habanero and Hot Pepper Steak Sauce,” said Richard Cox, commercial director of brand owner Baxters Food group.
“They proved so popular that they are back on the shelf for 2014.”
He also said there’s continuing interest in Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Glaze, which can be used as a dip, marinade and glaze.
• Hot pepper sauce brand Encona has a Brazilian special edition, created with World Cup get-togethers and parties in mind. It’s a medium hot mixture of tomatoes, herbs and spices that the company describes as “ideal for the barbecue season”.
• Instant barbecue manufacturer, Bar-Be-Quick, has teamed up with AB World Foods to promote its sauce portfolio.
Following on from the success of last year’s Levi Roots-branded barbecues, this year’s packaging will feature Tabasco Pepper Sauce and Blue Dragon’s Sweet Chilli Sauce as well as the Roots product. There are also recipe ideas using the different sauces.
Caroline Hoare, national account manager at Bar-Be-Quick, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with AB World Foods for the second year running. It’s great to be able to inspire customers to add some variety to their barbecue.”
Shah Khan of AB World Foods, said: “Working with Bar-Be-Quick allows us to bring our range of flavoursome sauces to the barbecue audience and bring a world of flavour to al fresco dining.”
