Kraft Heinz steak sauce heads to the dairy aisle with A.1. butter

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Dive Brief:

• Kraft Heinz’s A.1. Steak sauce is expanding its presence by bringing a condiment to the dairy aisle with Steakhouse Butter, the packaged food manufacturer said in a statement. It’s the brand’s first innovation outside the sauce bottle in more than five years.

• The offering combines A.1.’s signature tangy flavor with creamy butter. The company said its Steakhouse Butter was inspired by consumers who are creating butter-based recipes for their steaks. 

• The innovation is the latest in a series of new product launches debuting from Kraft Heinz as the food company looks to generate $2 billion in incremental net sales by 2027. 

Dive Insight:

A.1.’s newest product is being released as consumers spend more time making meals at home following changes in their eating habits during COVID-19 and the ongoing impact of inflation. 

“From sauces to butter, we know our fans are constantly seeking new ways to recreate the steakhouse experience at home,” Holland Robinson, A.1.’s brand manager. 

The launch allows the 200-year-old A.1. brand to build on its dominant association with steak while giving consumers more flavor options. With many people making their own butter for steak, Kraft Heinz’s A.1.-flavored condiment provides shoppers with convenience and the unique taste profile of its signature sauce. It also provides another way to keep them in the A.1. family. 

Even though the Steakhouse Butter is designed for steak, Kraft Heinz said it can be used in side dishes such as mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. This helps expand food occasions when the A.1. brand can be used. 

Kraft Heinz has been rapidly launching new products during the last year.

Last week, its Philadelphia cream cheese line entered the baking category with cream cheese frosting. The food giant saw an opportunity in the frosting market given that many consumers want products free from artificial flavors and dyes and that don’t require multiple steps or ingredients to make.

And its Crystal Light brand debuted three major additions to its portfolio for the first time in more than a decade in February with Mixology, Immunity and Energy products. The new line taps into two popular areas: mixed drinks, where Crystal Light is already used by consumers, and functional attributes. 

These products, along with the new steak butter, follow a common playbook for Kraft Heinz. The company takes an existing brand that has a strong presence in one category and looks for white spaces in food and beverage where the brand could play. In each case, Kraft Heinz is staying true to the packaged food category where the brand plays in the first place so it doesn’t confuse the consumer.