Heinz claims omega-3 first

Heinz has claimed to be the first manufacturer to add omega-3 to ambient food.

The food giant has included the functional ingredient across its canned pasta shapes portfolio, as well as in three new children’s Mini Meals.

“The amount of oily fish consumed by children has reduced dramatically over the last 50 years,” said Nathan Ansell, senior brand manager for Heinz pasta meals. “By fortifying children’s meals with omega-3 that has been sourced from oily fish, Heinz is helping to add back the missing nutrients that are essential during a child’s development.”

Heinz hoped the move would drive growth in the canned pasta market, which it said was now stabilising after a long period of decline, and believed the new Mini Meals range would appeal to mums looking for easy ways to introduce nutrients into their children’s diets.

The roll out of omega-3 and launch of Heinz Kids Meals was only the “start of things to come” for the category, added Ansell.

The Mini Meals come in three varieties: Mini Vegetable Ravioli; Mini Cheesy Spirals; and Baked Beanz and Mini Sausages. Each serving delivers around 17% of the recommended daily intake of omega-3.

Heinz said its canned Heinz Spaghetti recorded 6.2% year on year growth in the 12 weeks to August 12, 2006.