Heinz is adding a dash of Asian-style spice to its ketchup.
The company said it is releasing a new product this month: Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended with Sriracha Flavor.
H.J. Heinz Company said that its new sriracha product "comes in the familiar upside-down 14-ounce plastic squeeze bottle featuring a green and red label" and will be available in WalMart (WMT), Target (TGT), and other retailers. The suggested retail price is $2.69.
"The new offering adds a new kick to your favorite foods and recipes, pairing well with cheeseburgers, French fries and hot dogs, and is the perfect flavor boost for chicken and eggs," said Heinz brand manager Joseph Giallenella, offering some culinary advice.
Sriracha is a hot chili sauce that traces its origins back to Thailand. In America, the leading sriracha brand is from Huy Fong Foods, a manufacturer in Los Angeles that brands its spicy products as "untamed." A judge last year ordered Huy Fong to put a cap on the smell emanating from its factory after local residents complained.
Heinz, based in Pittsburgh, said it will manufacture the ketchup-sriracha blend in Fremont, Ohio.
Heinz is known for its "57 varieties" slogan, but this new flavor isn't No. 58. The company said it produces over 5,700 products, including other unorthodox varieties like tomato ketchup mixed with jalapeños and another blended with balsamic vinegar. It even makes non-ketchup products like baby cereal.
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA)and the private equity firm 3G Capital bought Heinz for $28 billion in 2013.
