Dive Brief:

• The Kraft Heinz Company partnered with hospitality company Ennismore for a series of on-premise experiences, activations and digital content meant to promote its chef-inspired Heinz 57 collection, according to a press release.
• Included in the experience is an exclusive Heinz tasting lounge, slated for Feb. 23 at Hyde Beach in Miami, Florida, that will promote the premium collection, which includes a line of sauces and spreads with ingredients like black truffle and hot honey. 
• The partnership continues the condiment maker’s integration into luxury spaces and follows the move by several brands to explore attainable luxury as consumers cling to elevated experiences, including surrounding food.

Dive Insight:

As part of the partnership, guest staying at Ennismore’s Mondrian Los Angeles, SLS Brickell, SLS LUX Brickell and SLS South Beach will be able to sample the line while ordering room service, having dinner, ordering poolside and at other on-premise eateries. The tasting at Hyde Beach also coincides with the area’s Food and Wine Festival, meaning foodies will already be in the area.

The collaboration will be led by the Ennismore Partnership Studio, which is in charge of expanding strategic partnerships for the hospitality chain. While Heinz may seem like an odd choice for the luxury hospitality brand, the Heinz 57 collection could prove to be the perfect bridge from familiarity to luxury. The collection, which launched last year, was developed with the help of award-winning chefs Lee Wolen and Joe Frillman and includes both hot honeys and crunch sauces.

"Over the last several years, we noticed a rise in 'curious foodies' culture — people who seek new and elevated eating experiences — and saw an exciting white space for the Heinz brand to join the narrative," Nick Guerten, vice president of marketing for Away from Home at Kraft Heinz, said in the release.

Foodie culture has been on the rise for years, with Instagram and the availability of cameras making it easy to share images of food. It leans into the millennial desire for experiences over material belongings. Millennials are also more likely to eat out than non-millennials, and spend more when they do. As the buying power of Gen Z and millennials grows, giving them elevated experiences could be instrumental for brands.

The collaboration with Heinz also adds a touch of nostalgia. While millennials hunger for unique experiences, nostalgia is more popular than ever. Shows such as “Stranger Things” have consumers hungering for things of their childhood. The Heinz 57 collection gives an air of novelty, while also being somewhat familiar to the consumer.