
In an example of the best ideas often being the simplest, Heinz Ketchup has revealed a french fry container designed with a condiment pocket on its front for those looking to dip on the go with better ease.
The packaging innovation will be available for use at participating restaurants and a series of sporting events across 11 countries from this week. In Canada, the Heinz Dipper will be rolling out while supplies last during NHL and NBA games at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with creators set to trial the product and share content live from Friday’s game between the Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers.
Building on September’s “Looks Familiar” campaign, which highlighted the obvious-in-retrospect similarities between the shape of takeout fry containers and the Heinz’s logo, Tuesday’s Heinz Dipper launch includes a 360 campaign by Rethink that spans online video, paid social media and influencer partnerships. Carat is supporting paid media and Zeno Group is handling PR.
“We wanted to take the next bold step: Redesigning the age-old fry box to work even harder for our Heinz lovers everywhere,” Nina Patel, VP of global Heinz brand, said in a news release. “As more eating occasions happen away from home in drive-thrus and on-the-go moments, the Heinz Dipper is a fun and relevant way to innovate to meet fans where they are and strengthen our role in their everyday lives.”
Heinz is positioning the dipper as a solution to consumer frustrations about the messiness of the ketchup-fry combo. According to the release, 70% of ketchup and fry eaters have spilled ketchup when dipping on-the-go and 80% say they have considered skipping condiments altogether because of a lack of dip-friendly packaging options. Heinz says a third of Canadians reported they’ve passed on ketchup at sporting events to avoid spills.
“The problem of where to put Heinz in a fry box may seem like a superficial issue, but Heinz is at its best when it takes ketchup problems as seriously as their biggest fans do,” Rethink creative director Jacquelyn Parent said in the release “So from blueprint to final product, that’s exactly what we did while redesigning the fry box.”
The rollout is a test for expanded distribution and long-term growth as part of the “Away from Home” channel, which serves dining establishments and caterers with ingredients and tools for culinary professionals, according to the release. The Pittsburgh-based company says the Heinz Dipper is the brand’s most widespread global activation, with trials also scheduled for the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Philippines, Thailand, China and Kuwait.
In November, Heinz collaborated with the Vancouver-based Herschel Supply Co. on a set of travel accessories that feature the brand’s familiar iconography and red tones. And in September, the same month the Kraft Heinz split was made official, the “Reintroducing Heinz” campaign expanded the brand’s horizons beyond ketchup with the launch of a set of flavoured mayonnaises.

