Dive Brief:
- Kraft Heinz is bringing another signature condiment into the spicy category with new Kraft Mayo Buffalo Style Dressing. The spread is made with cayenne pepper puree, butter and vinegar, and is available at stores nationwide.
- Leaning into the ubiquitousness of spicy condiments, Kraft Heinz is also creating a refillable lip balm-sized tube of the condiment as a limited-time offer. Buffalo Balm is available exclusively on Amazon.
- Kraft Heinz has launched a wide variety of innovative products in recent months. Some of these include convenience-oriented frozen meals, while others are new takes on beloved products.
Dive Insight:
There is nothing bland about Kraft Heinz’s recent business plans — figuratively or literally.
After years of careful reorganization and optimization of its business plan, the company has launched several new products in recent months.
Some of these new products bring trendy flavors to the fore. The CPG giant, which is best known for its comforting products including macaroni and cheese, Heinz Ketchup and Ore-Ida frozen potatoes has recently brought some spice to its offerings.
Kraft Mayo Buffalo Style Dressing is the first flavor extension for the Kraft Mayo product. It’s the third of the company’s well-known condiments to get a zesty kick. Spicy versions of Heinz Ketchup and Hot 57 Sauce launched this spring. According to Brandwatch social media data that Kraft Heinz cites in its press release, consumers are interested in “bolder flavors” from their favorite brands.
By launching the travel-sized Buffalo Balm product at the same time, Kraft Heinz is staking a claim that consumers will feel the need to have this condiment wherever they go, even if it’s too new for many foodservice locations to carry it.
“As our fans know well, when you are obsessed with a flavor, you never leave your house without it,” Frances Sabatier, Kraft Real Mayo brand manager, said in a written statement. “As the Mayo brand for Mayo freaks, KRAFT Real Mayo is proud to champion our fans’ individuality through our products and how our fans enjoy them.”
The Buffalo Balm product is Kraft Heinz’s latest foray into social media standout limited-time products. The company has said many of these types of products — like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese ice cream and the Oscar Mayer Bologna Face Mask — tell the story of what brands mean to consumers and attract attention from any consumer scrolling through a social media feed.
Even without the fun looking travel-sized container, Kraft Mayo Buffalo Style Dressing is likely to attract attention for the different flavor combination it brings to the usually bland condiment.
The zesty mayonnaise is just one of the innovations Kraft Heinz is bringing to consumers this year. Pedro Navio, the company’s U.S. president of Taste Elevation, Meals and Away from Home, previously said the company is planning to deliver 80% more innovations in 2023 compared to last year.
One thing is for sure: With so many launches in the spice category — including Ed Sheeran-created hot sauce Tingly Ted’s, the U.S. launch of European direct-to-consumer brand Just Spices, Spicy Ketchup and Kraft Mayo Buffalo Style Dressing — Kraft Heinz is keeping the summer hot.
