Merchant Gourmet launches baked beans

Merchant Gourmet is bringing a fresh approach to baked beans with the launch of its new range, featuring three different flavours – Gourmet Baked Beans in a Rich Italian Sauce, Barbecue Baked Beans in a Smoky Tomato Sauce, and Masala Baked Beans in a Spiced Tomato Sauce. The range offers an elevated flavour experience, strong nutritional credentials, and everyday convenience at an accessible price point. It brings more variety and creates a clear trade-up opportunity within baked beans, helping retailers attract new shoppers to the category and drive incremental value through innovation.

Baked beans continue to be a staple in UK households, yet shopper expectations are evolving. Merchant Gourmet is seeking to shake up the category through bold, contemporary flavours high-quality beans packed full of protein and fibre with no additives. The range is designed to add diversity and greater versatility, encouraging shoppers to see baked beans as a more flexible ingredient across a wider range of meal occasions.

With 31% of shoppers seeking baked beans with less sugar and 15% looking for easier-to-prepare options^[1] Merchant Gourmet’s microwaveable pouch format makes the range particularly well placed to appeal to shoppers looking for healthier, more convenient everyday choices. The new beans contain less sugar than many traditional baked bean brands, reinforcing their better-for-you positioning without compromising on taste.

Richard Peake, Managing Director at Merchant Gourmet, commented: “Baked beans are a true staple for many households, but shopper demands are evolving and the category must adapt to meet those demands. We saw an opportunity to bring something into the category that offers gourmet flavour, delivers on health, and is still affordable and accessible – win-win! We’re super excited for this launch, and another great opportunity to keep getting the nation eating more beans.”

Following the successful launch of its Jumbo Chickpeas in 2024, Merchant Gourmet has expanded its Ingredients Beans range with the introduction of Giant Butter Beans. Ready to eat straight from the pouch, the beans are cooked with Italian extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, delivering a creamy texture and a natural source of protein and fibre with no need to drain.

Merchant Gourmet has joined The Food Foundation’s BEANS campaign, a campaign designed to increase the UK’s consumption of beans and pulses and help double global bean consumption by 2028. As part of the campaign’s Keen Bean Pledge, the brand has committed to doubling the volume sales of all Merchant Gourmet bean products by 2028.

^[1] Baked Beans consumer research, Vypr, May 2024. Responses to question: “What would you like to see more of in the Baked Beans category?”

Base: 359 shoppers who answered “yes” to buying baked beans regularly (approximately once a month) from the supermarket (448/508 respondents initially answered yes; original sample nationally representative). Survey carried out on behalf of Merchant Gourmet.