Lifestyleopinion

'I tested supermarket-own baked bean brands against Heinz - one was tremendous'

Costing just 37p per tin, one particular supermarket variety of beans came very close to Heinz in terms of flavour and texture.

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Lifestyleopinion

Ashley Summerfield

Nicola RoyTrainee Trends Writer

Jacob Rawley

16:50, 20 NOV 2023

Baked beans in tomato sauce on a slice of wholemeal toast — Beans are a staple in many households - but which supermarket brand is best? (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Saving money here and there is on everyone's minds at the moment, especially with Christmas on the horizon.

One way that we can do this is by being more mindful at the supermarket and opting for own-brand choices rather than named brands - which are often much more expensive.

And one savvy shopper set out to discover how supermarket-brand beans compared to the famous but more pricey Heinz ones we all know and love.

The Express writer Ashley Summerfield carried out an experimental taste test earlier this year, comparing Heinz to four different supermarket brands - Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Asda.

And they found that one particular type was 'tremendous' - as well as costing just 37p per tin.

Here's everything that Ashley found when trialling the different beans and how they all fared against the much-loved Heinz brand.

Baked beans — Ashley tested four different supermarket baked bean varieties against Heinz (Image: Ashley Summerfield - Reach PLC)

Heinz Beanz

One tin of Heinz Beanz cost Ashley a 'whopping' £1.40, which is a lot when compared to some of the cheaper supermarket-own brands.

He said: "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."

Because of this, he awarded Heinz Beanz a score of 9/10.

Tesco

A tin of Tesco beans cost Ashley just 50p, but 'right away' it was clear to spot the difference between that and Heinz.

He said: "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."

He awarded Tesco beans 6/10 as they were 'decent' for the price.

Sainsbury's

These may have been the cheapest at 44p per tin, but it turned out they were the most similar to Heinz.

Ashley said: " 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

Morrison's 49p own brand scored the lowest of the lot, although Ashley did admit that he was in a "bean coma" at this point.

Describing the flavour the journalist said: "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."

After eating some, he said that he was disappointed, describing it as "mind-numbingly boring."

They were given a 4/10 and labelled "unsatisfactory."