Sophie Harris took part in a blind taste test of nine supermarket baked beans and Heinz, and the results were genuinely surprising. Baked beans remain a firm favourite for Brits, often added to breakfasts like a full English or simply served on toast. Some people even add them to chilli con carne, but does the brand matter?
The Taste Test
In a recent blind tasting, journalist Sophie Harris tried nine tins of baked beans from different supermarkets to determine whether she could spot Heinz and which offered the best flavour. The competitors included Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, M&S, Waitrose, Lidl, Aldi, and Heinz. Sophie rated each brand with a score out of 10, with one tin even scoring a perfect 10.
Tesco
The sauce was somewhat thin despite being properly cooked, which didn't appeal to Sophie. That said, they worked well on toast, and she would happily have them again. Score: 6/10
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's did better than Morrisons in the baked beans test. They offered good flavour and consistency in comparison to some of the alternatives, with a rich tomato sauce. The beans had a slightly stronger tomato flavour than other supermarkets, but Sophie was perfectly happy with that. Score: 7/10
Morrisons
Sophie thought they were short on flavour, though her boyfriend thoroughly liked these ones, which just demonstrates how subjective food preferences can be. They were pleasant on toast, but she personally preferred other beans in the trial. Score: 5/10
M&S
They possessed a subtle barbecue flavour, which suggests they'd complement a dish like chilli con carne nicely. Score: 5/10
Waitrose
The Waitrose beans were pleasant enough, though certainly not top of Sophie's list. They were lacking in proper taste, and the beans themselves were quite hard. Score: 5/10
Asda
These were genuinely delightful baked beans, said Sophie, with an excellent texture and delicious tomato sauce. They weren't overly sweet or overly firm and were completely spot-on. They were undoubtedly Sophie's top pick in the tasting and cost merely 28p. Score: 10/10
Lidl
Sophie found them somewhat bland, though given the price (40p), she would certainly consider purchasing them again. The beans were also slightly hard, though this didn't bother Sophie particularly, so it comes down to individual taste. Score: 3/10
Aldi
Notably, only large tins were stocked at Sophie's nearest Lidl and Aldi branches. That said, the beans were enjoyable, somewhat lacking in depth of flavour though the texture was good. Sophie enjoyed Aldi's beans, though she favoured others in the comparison. Score: 5/10
Heinz
Sophie assumed she would instantly recognise Heinz baked beans, yet she couldn't, and she actually thought these were far too sweet. She also wasn't as keen on the tomato sauce flavour compared to some of the other beans tested. Score: 6/10
The Verdict
In Sophie's view, Asda emerged victorious in this taste test thanks to the flavour and texture of the beans, combined with their price point.
