Recently, the Heinz brand under Kraft Heinz announced that the first batch of domestically produced inverted bottle tomato sauce invested and produced at its Qingdao factory has been successfully taken offline, and will begin comprehensive online and offline distribution this year. The localization of Heinz's classic product marks another important step for Kraft Heinz in the Chinese market, demonstrating its unwavering long-term commitment to deeply cultivating the Chinese market.
Heinz tomato sauce is known as the "growing tomato sauce". Through continuous and profound insights into consumers, Heinz tomato sauce products and packaging are constantly upgraded and innovated, always committed to meeting the diverse needs of consumers. To further cater to the usage habits of Chinese consumers, Kraft Heinz has upgraded its domestically produced Heinz inverted bottle tomato sauce while maintaining its original taste and flavor. In terms of canning capacity, the domestic version of Heinz inverted bottle tomato sauce has a filling capacity of 360g, which is nearly 10% more than the current version on the market; In terms of bottle design, it has been specifically improved and upgraded for the Chinese market, with a moderate size and smooth bottle body lines, which are more in line with the grip habits of Chinese consumers; In addition, the domestic version of the production line has introduced Germany's advanced sterile filling machine, which uses hydrogen peroxide dry sterilization technology to sterilize bottles and caps. The cleanliness level of the entire line has been upgraded to Heinz UCCF (Ultra Clean Cold Canned) level, for the production of healthier tomato sauce products such as low salt and low sugar.
"The Chinese market has enormous consumption potential and growth opportunities. Heinz's first batch of domestically produced inverted bottle tomato sauce will be fully launched in China this year, which is an important milestone for the Heinz brand and also a significant step for Kraft Heinz to invest in the Chinese market." said Xiao Gaoqiu, Vice President of Operations, Procurement, and Sustainable Development for Kraft Heinz Asia, "Kraft Heinz will continue to uphold the concept of high quality, innovation, and sustainable development, continuously launch more high-quality products that better meet the taste and needs of Chinese consumers, and bring more delicious and healthy food choices to Chinese consumers."
"According to Kraft Heinz's Q3 2023 financial report, sales in China's international region reached $1.57 billion, an endogenous growth of 8% year-on-year." "Kraft Heinz has always been optimistic about the long-term growth prospects of the Chinese economy and the potential of the consumer market. Especially this year, the Chinese government has launched a series of policies to stabilize foreign investment, which has strengthened our development strategy in China and further enhanced our confidence in the investment environment in China."
As the main Western style sauce production factory of Kraft Heinz in China, the Qingdao factory has been in operation for more than 20 years, with a total investment of over 370 million yuan and an average annual tax revenue of over 30 million yuan. In the just concluded year of 2023, Kraft Heinz invested an additional $11.3 million (approximately RMB 77.68 million) to introduce an inverted bottle tomato sauce and dipping cup production line, providing Chinese consumers with a more high-quality and diverse range of health product choices.