• by Les Luchter , June 12, 2023

When Kraft Heinz launched its unified “It’s Got to Be Heinz” campaign earlier this month, the marketer promised to celebrate the "unmatched love that generations of people all over the world have for Heinz."

One seldom-discussed aspect of that love are collectors of Heinz packets -- those little condiment packages that seem ubiquitous in quick-service restaurants, food delivery bags, theme parks, movie theaters, sports stadiums and so on.

Many more people will be collecting Heinz packets in the next few months now that the brand has launched its “United States of Saucemerica” collection of 50 limited-edition state-inspired packets -- and a corresponding sweepstakes offering a $100,000 grand prize.

Each Saucemerica packet features a state theme tied to one of seven condiments – such as Maryland Crab Cake-inspired Tartar Sauce and Texas Brisket BBQ Sauce. The other condiments are Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Real Mayonnaise, Ranch, and Simply Ketchup.

To be eligible for the $100,000 prize, consumers are asked to upload photos of over 40 different Saucemerica packets by the end of August. Uploading fewer than that puts entrants into different prize pool levels that will award nearly 200 prizes ranging from values of $500 to $10,000.

“To ensure consumers can collect as many unique packs as possible all summer long,” Heinz says that participating food entities will receive a mix of state packets through the summer.

And, to ensure that enough food operators are participating, they have their own sweepstakes, with 60 winners receiving $10,000 each.

The first 600,000 consumers who register for the sweepstakes will also receive a $1-off coupon on any retail-sized Heinz condiment.

Heinz Away from Home, the company’s food service division that handles the sales of condiment packages, also made news recently by announcing the upcoming launch of Heinz Remix, a digital in-restaurant free-standing dispenser that allows consumers to personalize their own condiment -- with more than 200 potential sauce possibilities.

The company said Remix, which took just six months to develop from initial brief to physical product , will be piloted with restaurant operators late this year or early 2024.

A touchscreen allows consumers to first select from a range of “bases” -- such as Heinz Ketchup, Ranch, 57^® Sauce, and BBQ Sauce -- and then customize the sauce further with one or more “enhancers" like Jalapeño, Smoky Chipotle, Buffalo, and Mango at their preferred intensity level (low, medium, high).

Alan Kleinerman, vice president of disruption, Kraft Heinz, said in the Remix e announcement that the product is “more than a sauce dispenser; it’s an insights engine and business model enabler that will help Kraft Heinz understand and respond to consumer trends and flavor preferences in real-time. Who knows -- maybe our next new sauce combination will come from a superfan using Heinz Remix.”