Long-Term PlanInnovation
Our focus on innovation includes an increasing emphasis on packaging that will help Heinz reduce our environmental footprint.
Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, and William R. Johnson, Chairman, President and CEO of H.J. Heinz Company
Packaging Innovation
Innovation is a major component of Heinz's growth strategy, reflecting our belief that innovation differentiates Heinz products and enhances the consumer experience, convenience and value.
For example, Heinz announced a groundbreaking partnership in February 2011 that enables us to manufacture fully recyclable ketchup bottles using The Coca-Cola Company's PlantBottle™ technology. Up to 30% of the PlantBottle packaging material comes from a renewable source – plants – unlike traditional plastic bottles made from non-renewable fossil fuels.
The PlantBottle material is produced through an innovative process that turns natural sugars found in plants into a key component for PET plastic.
Heinz® Ketchup is going to convert to PlantBottle packaging globally over time, starting with a U.S. rollout of more than 120 million retail and foodservice bottles that began in 2011 with our best-selling 20-ounce variety of Heinz Ketchup. Heinz is supporting the PlantBottle packaging launch with a campaign that is raising public awareness about this breakthrough innovation. In Fiscal Year 2012, we expect to introduce PlantBottle packaging in Europe.
Heinz believes that our collaborative PlantBottle partnership with The Coca-Cola Company will make a positive difference for the environment while exciting our consumers and our retail trade partners.
Our adoption of the PlantBottle technology will be the biggest change to our iconic Heinz Ketchup bottles since we introduced our first plastic bottles in 1983.
Heinz also introduced Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® trays that use 40% less plastic.
In the last year, Heinz also introduced Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® trays that use 40% less plastic than the previous tray. The innovative trays replace some plastic with Calcium Carbonate, a natural mineral, to cut greenhouse gas emissions 45% to 55%. Our foodservice business in the United States launched a new line of condiment packets for restaurants that are made with 30% renewable material.
Robust Innovation Pipeline
Overall, Heinz maintains a robust pipeline of new products, fueled by research and development conducted at our Global Innovation and Quality Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., and our Infant Nutrition Center of Excellence in Italy. In Fiscal Year 2011, Heinz initiated plans to construct a European Innovation Center in The Netherlands. This new facility in Nijmegen will serve as a hub for nutritional science and new product development.
New Products in Fiscal Year 2010
Heinz is also expanding our commitment to innovation that enhances the health and nutritional profile of our food products. In North America, for example, one-third of the Company’s total new product innovations in the 2010 calendar year met our strict criteria for healthy nutrition innovation. Our target for meeting these criteria in North America is 100% for 2011 and the years to come.
- Simply Heinz™, an all-natural ketchup variety made with sugar
- Ore-Ida® Sweet Potato Fries
- Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® sliders
- Reduced Sugar & Salt Snap Pots Heinz Beanz® in the U.K.
- Plasmon® vegetable pouches for infants in Italy
- Mr. Jussie® Milky beverages for children in Indonesia
- Golden Circle® LOL® fizzy fruit juices in Australia
- New varieties of Complan® and Glucon D® beverages in India
New Products in Fiscal Year 2011
In Fiscal Year 2011, new products included:
- Heinz® Dip & Squeeze® Ketchup, a dual-function package that enables consumers to peel away the lid for dipping or tear off the tip to neatly squeeze the ketchup onto their favorite foods
- Classico® Light Creamy Alfredo sauce
- T.G.I. Friday’s® single-serve entrées
- Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® breakfast wraps
- Resealable Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack
- Heinz® Tomato Ketchup with Balsamic Vinegar in the U.K.
- Heinz® canned vegetables in Russia
- New varieties of ABC® soy sauces in Indonesia
- Heinz® Infant Formula in China
To support our brands, Heinz increased marketing investments approximately 23% over the two-year period and significantly increased our presence in social media to capitalize on its growing global impact as a forum for consumers.
Customer Satisfaction Leader
In Fiscal Year 2011, Heinz ranked first among food manufacturing companies in customer satisfaction for the 11th consecutive year. The number-one ranking in the American Customer Satisfaction Index™ reflects our focus on quality, innovation and value.
