Heinz Baked Beans

Heinz Baked Beans are a brand of baked beans produced by the H. J. Heinz Company, and sold in the United Kingdom and other countries. They have been sold as Heinz Beanz since 2008.

For the song by the Who, see The Who Sell Out.

Heinz baked beans on toast
Product typeCanned food
OwnerKraft Heinz
CountryUnited Kingdom, United States
Introduced1901
Related brandsTomato ketchup
TaglineBeans Meanz Heinz' created by Maurice Drake
WebsiteOfficial website

History
Heinz 57 trade card from the 19th century, promoting various products; including Beans and the Heinz pickle.

In 1886, Heinz Baked Beans were first sold at the Fortnum & Mason department store in London.[1] After opening its first overseas office in London in 1896, the company opened its first UK factory in Peckham, south London, in 1905. This was followed by a second factory at Harlesden, north-west London in 1919. Production was started at a former munitions factory at Standish near Wigan in 1946. A new factory opened in Kitt Green, also near Wigan, in 1958.[2]

Between 1941 and 1948, The Ministry of Food classified Heinz Baked Beans as an "essential food" as part of its wartime rationing system.[3]

The Heinz factory in Kitt Green is one of the largest food factories in Europe, and produces more than 1 billion cans of food every year.[4]

In the United States, Heinz Baked Beans had for many years only been available as grey imports in "British Goods" specialty stores. As of October 2016 they are now available as official imports in many US supermarkets and specialty stores, with a label similar to the older British label, but customised for the US market (US spelling and US Nutrition Facts).

Advertising slogan

In 1967, Heinz launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Beanz Meanz Heinz". The phrase was created by advertising executive Maurice Drake and went on to become one of the best-known advertising slogans in the United Kingdom. Drake later said the slogan was "written over two pints of beer in The Victoria pub in Mornington Crescent".[5] In 1998, Heinz Baked Beans was voted one of 12 brands that citizens of the United Kingdom think best represents the final 10 years of the millennium.[6]

In 2008, "Heinz Baked Beans" were renamed "Heinz Beanz", as the original title was "a bit of a mouthful to pronounce", according to the company.[7]

In 2016 Heinz's advertising campaign featuring people using empty beans cans as musical instruments was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority on safety grounds.[8]

BPA allegations

In 2001, the UK's Food Standards Agency found Heinz canned baked beans was one of a number of well-known canned products to be contaminated with the hormone disruptor bisphenol A (BPA). This chemical forms part of the membrane that lines the cans. The Heinz company put out a statement – "Although UK and European food authorities have stated that minute levels of BPA in can coatings are safe, Heinz remains committed to moving to alternatives."[9][10][11]

Production method

Heinz Baked Beans are produced by sealing raw beans and sauce in the cans, which are then placed in large pressure cookers. This gives the sauce its thick consistency and ensures a long shelf life for the product.[12]

A standard 415g can will contain an average of 465 beans.[13]

The Beanz Museum

In 2019, Heinz opened the “Beanz Museum” as a pop-up exhibit in Covent Garden London between 30 August - 1 September 2019. The museum contained an interactive and immersive exhibition about the history of Heinz’s Baked Beans to mark the products 150th anniversary .[14]

  • Heinz brand beans in a can
  • New and old versions of the Heinz brand

References
  1. "Fortnum and Mason. Our History. 1800s". Fortnum and Mason. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  2. http://www.heinz.co.uk/our-company/about-heinz/heinz-uk-and-ireland
  3. "Beans – Did you know". Heinz. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  4. "Heinz UK and Ireland". Archived from the original on 27 December 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  5. "Our products – Heinz Baked Beanz". HEINZ. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  6. Saunders, Andrew (1 January 2008). "The MT Interview: Dave Woodward". Management Today. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  7. Clout, Laura (11 July 2008). "Heinz baked beans become Heinz Beanz". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  8. "ASA Bans Heinz Beans Cansong Ad". Guardian. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  9. "Friends of the Earth: Archived press release: Hormone disruptor found in can linings". Foe.co.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  10. Hickman, Martin (1 April 2010). "Revealed: the nasty secret in your kitchen cupboard – News – Food & Drink". The Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  11. bundykim. "H. J. Heinz Company". Mahalo.com. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  12. Presenters: Jimmy Doherty (3 November 2010). "Second Helpings". Jimmy's Food Factory. Season 2. Episode 1. BBC.
  13. Coles, Jonathan (4 September 2019). "Man 'annoyed' to find ONE baked bean in Heinz tin bought from Tesco". Bristol Post. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  14. Noble, William (29 August 2019). "A Museum Dedicated To Baked Beans Is Coming To London This Month". Londonist. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
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