Are supermarket own-brand baked beans any good compared to the famous Heinz Beanz?
Well, a reviewer put tins of beans to the test to see if it was worth switching from Heinz to own-brand versions from stores including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. As the cost of living crisis continues, households across the country are looking for ways to reduce costs.
And opting for cheaper own-brand products could help save you money on your shopping bill. So, Ashley Summerfield, from the Express, carried out a taste test. Here are his findings, with his final verdict given at the end.
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Heinz Beanz
The American food processing company began making its iconic beans in 1886, and since 2008, they have been sold in the UK under the name Heinz Beanz. I picked up a tin for a whopping £1.40; while that might not sound outrageous, it is when you compare it to the price of some of the other beans.
Depending on the supermarket, one tin can range in price from £1.20 to £1.45. What can I say that you do not already know? Nothing, probably.
Its orange-red sauce has the perfect consistency, and its tomatoey taste is magnifique. It is the perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, a snack, and of course, a campfire.
Can Heinz be matched or even beaten? I hope so, because otherwise, the whole "own-brand" debate is in jeopardy. Yes, there is a lot riding on this taste test.
Anyway, I digress; 9/10, it is a classic for a reason.
Tesco
I paid a reasonable 50p for Tesco's own-brand beans. Right from the onset, I could tell a difference between Heinz and Tesco.
The beans are lighter in colour, and the sauce is runnier. After tucking in, I was neither blown away nor disappointed.
The beans are not as tomatoey as Heinz, and in general, there is less flavour. However, for the price, they are decent, and you could always enhance the taste by adding some ketchup or spices. I would give them a 6/10.
Sainsbury's
At 37p, Sainsbury's baked beans are the cheapest of the lot, and boy do they compete with Heinz. The sauce is a dark orange-red and has a thicker consistency than Tesco, but not as thick as Heinz.
When it comes to its taste, it is similar to Heinz—nice and tomatoey—but is slightly sweeter. I am giving Sainsbury's an 8/10.
While this is one point lower than Heinz, it is a whole pound cheaper, so from now on I will be popping to Sainsbury's for my baked beans.
Morrisons
I forked out 49p for Morrison's own brand. After slapping the beans on my toast, I sat at my dining room table (my sofa) with my head in my hands. I was in a bean coma; I did not want to go on.
But I am glad I did—well, that is what I would have said had they "bean" any good. The beans are darker than Tesco's but lighter in colour than Heinz and Sainsbury's.
When it comes to the sauce, it is too runny. Anyway, it was time to taste them. After eating a mouthful, I was disappointed.
Where is the flavour? Fine, there is some, but it is mind-numbingly boring. That being said, you could add something to the beans to give them flavour.
4/10—unsatisfactory—I will not be recommending these beans to Jack.
Asda
I handed over 50p for Asda's baked beans. They are a similar colour to Morrisons, but thankfully that is where the comparisons end.
There is a tomatoey flavour there, but it is distant but definitely there. It is slightly too runny, but is that even a negative? I have been portraying it as a strike against the beans throughout this piece, but you, the reader, might like that.
Finishing on a fairly positive note, I would give Asda a 6/10.
Verdict
Heinz are the best, but we already knew that going into this. However, Sainsbury's does a tremendous job, and it only costs 37p. You could buy four tins for £1.48, which is only 8p more than one tin of Heinz!
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