Heinz has created a new sauce for the quarter of consumers who believe it acceptable to eat pasta with ketchup.
The new Tomato Ketchup Pasta Sauce is the first of the brand’s pasta sauces to contain ketchup, which makes up 10% of the product alongside 84% tomato puree and other ingredients such as vinegar, olive oil and herbs and spices.
Heinz said it settled on 10% in order to achieve the taste of ketchup while also ensuring the flavours mixed well with the pasta sauce.
A survey of 2,000 UK consumers for Heinz found that more than half (59%) considered it unacceptable to put ketchup on pasta.
However, 24% had no objection to the idea of using the condiment as a sauce, with those most likely to be open to it aged between 18 and 34.
Some 29% have previously tried adding ketchup to their pasta, with 8% doing so regularly and 11% occasionally.
Heinz new ventures director Caio Fontenele said: “Never say never! Whether ketchup was originally intended to go on pasta or not, we couldn’t help but listen to the love our fans share on social media for the combination.
“So, we’ve brought together our Heinz Pasta Sauce and Heinz Tomato Ketchup to give you the pasta sauce we’ve all been dreaming of. While some might say it’s ridiculously wrong, we think it’s simply, ridiculously good.”
The limited-edition sauce will be available from October 4 at Tesco supermarkets nationwide and heinztohome.co.uk for four weeks for a recommended retail price of £2.50.
Opinium surveyed 2,000 UK adults in September.
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