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Scientific Comfort Food Code Reveals ‘It Has To Be Heinz’
According to research, one in three Brits turn to food over a chat with their partner for an instant comfort boost, with 5.3 million of us turning to beans on toast.
It may look like the work of Einstein, but scientists at Mindlab, under the watchful eye of Dr David Lewis, have created a new Comfort Index formula (C.I) to calculate the comfort factor of food dishes when we are feeling less than our best.
Researchers used eight factors to measure the Comfort Index, including texture, temperature, aroma, taste, simplicity of flavours, how filling it was, ease of preparation and whether it brought back any nostalgic childhood memories1.
The Comfort Index Formula
Heinz Beanz on toast topped the polls with the highest C.I score at 3.3. The magic behind this classic was revealed to be its simple aroma and flavour profile compared to other more complex dishes such as chicken curry and Spaghetti Bolognese. It also brought back the strongest memories of childhood – triggering ‘nurturing’ emotions.
According to the study, dishes that don’t deliver on the comfort factor include chicken curry and chicken and mushroom pie. Dr David Lewis, director of research at Mindlab, said: “The simpler the aroma, the more easily it can be interpreted and memorised, and consequently the response and emotion towards it is more powerful and immediate. We can see clearly in the findings that the types of smells people find comforting are simple ones associated with home cooking.”
Heinz Cream of Tomato soup from the Heinz Classic range received the second highest score, alongside sausage and mash at 2.1(1), with the secret behind why 400,000(2) people turn to Heinz Cream of Tomato soup at lunchtime being its appealing appearance.
Dr Lewis added: “The appearance of foods is as central to our enjoyment of it as is the taste. Indeed, research has shown that when food looks wrong it can influence our taste judgement. The overall appearance of Heinz Cream of Tomato soup triggers an instant and pleasureable memory of previous enjoyment, while the colour itself creates a sense of psychological warmth, unlike dishes such as chicken curry or Spaghetti Bolognese whose appearance can vary greatly depending on spices and meat you use, resulting in disjointed emotional responses.
“Foods such as Heinz Beanz(3) on toast and Heinz Cream of Tomato soup trigger upbeat memories of being comforted and cared for. We seek to recreate that feeling of safety when we are much older. As a result, we go back to our favourites when we are feeling a bit down. What sets these Heinz dishes apart is the trigger of memories brought about by the aroma and visual stimulus of the iconic Heinz Beanz and Heinz Cream of Tomato can, which is enough to make us begin to feel comforted before we even start to eat.”
The new Comfort Index is part of a host of compelling market data utilised in the biggest combined retail and foodservice campaign from Heinz in five years. ‘It Has To Be Heinz’ focuses on the deep connections the Heinz brand holds(4) and the fact some things ‘have to be’.
Already live in retail with TV and radio adverts and consumer promotions, ‘It Has To Be Heinz’ will continue through 2010, and, in foodservice, will concentrate on seven iconic products; Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Heinz Mayonnaise, HP Sauce, Heinz Salad Cream, HP BBQ Sauce, Heinz Classic Soup and Heinz Beanz, all in a variety of great catering formats.
‘It Has To Be Heinz’ will be very specifically foodservice-focussed using the latest statistics and research, alongside caterer promotions and ways to make Heinz work even harder on menus.
References
1. Comfort Index Key
R RICH How Rich is the food?
P PREPARE How easy is the food to Prepare?
W WARMING How Warming is the food?
A AROMA How appealing is the Aroma?
M MEMORIES Do you have positive Memories of eating this food in the past?
F FILLING Is the food Filling?
S SIMPLE How Simple are the flavours?
T TEXTURE How much do you enjoy the textures
2. 400,000 people eat Heinz Cream of Tomato soup for their lunch everyday (based on TNS Worldpanel Usage data 52w/e May 2009)
3. Last year 842 million meals occasions of Heinz Beanz were devoured at dinner tables in the UK (based on TNS Worldpanel Usage data 52w/e May 2009). Thirteen cans per second of Heinz Beanz are sold each year (data based on The Nielsen Company, Nielsen Scantrack MAT to September 2009)
4. Heinz is voted the most-loved food brand in the UK and second best food brand in the world (FreshMinds survey 2009 and Interbrand Best Global Brands 2009).
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