KANSAS CITY — From chicken nuggets to chips to ketchup, pickle-flavored products are spreading across grocery stores in a dill deluge.
Consumers have been reaching for pickle-flavored products, with 69% of consumers reporting they like or love pickles, according to Chicago-based Datassential. Yelp also predicted a rise in pickle popularity as a top trend for 2023, with pickled food searches up 55%.
The condiment category is full of pickle-flavored applications. The Kraft Heinz Co. debuted a Heinz pickle ketchup at the beginning of November, which features a tangy and savory flavor profile that capitalizes on the current popularity of pickle flavors.
“Increased desire for tasty, yet unexpected condiments has served as our innovation north star for the last several years,” said Katie Peterson, director of Heinz innovation at The Kraft Heinz Co. “The current pickle craze in America mirrors the irrational love Heinz fans have for the brand, so it only made sense for our newest ketchup to blend these two beloved tastes together.”
Hidden Valley Ranch also added a pickle-flavored ranch dressing, which combines the popular flavors of ranch with the tanginess of dill pickles, according to the company.
“The flavors of ranch and pickle pair extraordinarily well,” said C.C. Ciafone, marketing director at Hidden Valley Ranch. “The tangy, dill-pickly flavor is the perfect complement to the creamy, savory flavor profile of Hidden Valley Ranch.”
Pickles are making their way onto pizza as well, with Nestle’s DiGiorno brand launching a limited-edition pineapple pickle pizza to its lineup.
Inspired by online discussions surrounding controversial pizza toppings, the DiGiorno Pineapple Pickle pizza combines two of social media’s most divisive ingredients, according to the company.
