Heinz launches frozen pizza snack range in place of scrapped brands

HJ Heinz is targeting the teenage market with a range of frozen pizza snacks called Heinz Bite Me. The launch comes just weeks after it scrapped its San Marco and Pizza Pleasure brands and pulled out of the frozen pizza business (MW March 27).

Heinz axed the two pizza brands – and its Main Street Bistro frozen ready meals – after they failed to meet expectations. The moves led to five junior marketers being made redundant.

A Heinz spokeswomen says that Bite Me is aimed at a different market. There are three products in the range: Pizza Wedge, Garlic Pizza Toast and Pizza Tube. The products are aimed at 11to 17-year-olds looking for quick snacks: the products can be cooked in the microwave in 90 seconds or less and generate no washing up as they are handheld.

The launch is supported by a £3m marketing and advertising campaign, created by Viacom, TV ads will run across MTV, MTV Hits and Nickelodeon. There will also be women’s press advertising, SMS and online activity and music events.

Heinz says the Bite Me range will appeal to mothers who want to buy their children an alternative to traditional snacks.