Dynamic Brand Name Food and Beverage Company Steps Up For Foodservice Operators Facing Pandemic Challenges
When two of the food industry’s iconic companies merged in 2015, nobody saw a worldwide pandemic in their crystal ball. The true potential of Kraft and Heinz coming together for the nation’s foodservice operators and consumers remains relevant five years later despite the onset of Covid-19.
“The merging of Kraft and Heinz under one roof created a company that unleashed marketing and innovation, the likes of which had never been seen before,” noted the company’s US Foodservice Channel Marketing Lead, Flora Gauthier. “With that came an enhanced selection of solutions throughout the entire menu and meal occasions, from sides to desserts and from breakfast to dinner.”
The nation’s restaurants and foodservice operators have continued to reinvent themselves in 2020 to respond to rapidly changing dining needs. Their priority has been to find and maximize new sources of revenue including outdoor dining, takeout and delivery. In much of the country, outdoor dining is giving way to indoor dining as the weather takes a colder turn. With that comes a focus on implementing new safety protocols to be able to once again welcome patrons inside.
Those moves have required culinary operations to take a look at what they are serving patrons from a new perspective. “We are finding that many of our customers are making a statement to their guests by serving the Kraft Heinz portfolio of products,” explained Gauthier. “It sends a message that they remain committed to the highest quality and best tasting products available in the marketplace, with brands customers trust – an important attribute especially in the current environment. Independent research shows that customers are willing to pay an upcharge for a recognizable brand like HEINZ, which in turn allows operators to reflect that in their prices.”
Kraft Heinz Foodservice’s commitment has included ongoing investment in tools and resources for the industry that it serves. Kraft Heinz is positioned from a research point of view to provide unique insights into assisting the industry in finding solutions. “We have a tremendous advantage given the hundreds of thousands of restaurants and foodservice operators we work with every day,” Gauthier said. “We are constantly gathering insights and are able to share those findings with our customers and the distributors that serve them. Our goal is to be able to drill down to provide tailored information by cuisine type, region or menu item to support our customers.”
The company’s support also includes a team of chefs that can ideate with operators and even make recommendations on adapting their menus to reflect the very latest trends.
As restaurants prepare to shift their focus again on indoor dining, Kraft Heinz has worked closely with the operator community to offer innovative solutions within quick timelines. This is exemplified by the upcoming launch of the new HEINZ KEYSTONE® Automatic Dispenser which is compatible across the entire range of condiments and sauces. “This upgraded version of the original HEINZ Keystone Dispenser allows consumers to simply wave their hand above the sensor atop the unit to enjoy the great taste of HEINZ, and we’re pleased to report that 94%* of consumers said they’d feel safe using this when dining out,” explained Molly Scott, Head of Category Marketing for Kraft Heinz Foodservice US.
This new dispenser will be available to ship in the US and Canada starting February 2021 and is available to pre-order now.
With the financial challenges of the pandemic, Kraft Heinz has recently announced an aggressive rebate program with savings of up to $1000 on the purchase of Heinz ketchup. “We understand that aside from customer safety, operators’ primary concern currently is cost management – so we designed a campaign that addressed this head on in order to support our loyal customers in the most meaningful way right now,” said Gauthier.
For more details on the rebate and ways to redeem the offer, please visit our rebate webpage.
*SUZY Custom Research, KRAFT HEINZ, August 2020
