Comfort food doesn’t get much better than baked beans on toast.
Our nation’s obsession with beans is well documented, with American’s regularly posting confused TikTok videos trying our beloved delicacy. (It’s ‘not horrible’ is one of the kinder reviews).
For many, Heinz reigns supreme as the only can to pour over your white toast.
But now, a new study has pitted supermarket brands over Heinz, and Branston, to see who comes out on top?
And the winner? A 41p tin from Aldi.
And, in yet more shocking news, Branston came in second place, triumphing over rival Heinz.
Aldi’s Bramwells Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce (41p for 410g) earnt a tasty 76% score in the analysis by Which?, and snagged both a Best Buy and a Great Value endorsement.
Result were gathered by asking 66 baked bean enthusiasts who regularly buy and eat beams, to blind-taste 10 different varieties from supermarket own-brands like Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco, plus the well-known Heinz and Branston.
They rated the taste, texture, aroma, and appearance of each tin, giving their honest thoughts on what they liked and what they didn’t.
The final scores were calculated with flavour being the big winner, making up 50% of the overall mark. Then came appearance and aroma, each accounting for 20%, and finally, texture, which contributed 10%.
The tasters loved the look and smell of Aldi’s bargain offering, and nearly three-quarters (74%) reckoned the flavour was spot-on.
Battle of the baked beans: Which? ranked best
1. Aldi Bramwell’s Baked Beans (Best Buy): 76%
2. Branston Baked Beans (Best Buy): 75%
3. Co-op Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce: 74%
4. Asda Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce: 73%
5. Heinz Beanz: 72%
6. Waitrose Essential Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce: 72%
7. Sainsbury’s Baked Beans in Tasty Tomato Sauce: 71%
8. Tesco Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce: 70%
9. Morrisons Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce: 68%
10. M&S Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce: 67%
Close on Aldi’s heels were Branston Baked Beans (£1 for a 410g tin) with 75%, also scooping a Best Buy award. They were a hit too, with 70% of tasters saying they looked fab and tasted just right, and 71% enjoying their perfect level of sweetness.
Co-op’s Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (49p for a 400g tin) weren’t far behind, scoring a respectable 74%. Seven out of 10 testers gave a thumbs-up to the flavour, though a few said they fancied a bit more of that rich tomato-y punch.
Heinz Beanz, the classic (£1.40 for a 415g tin), came in fifth with a score of 72%. They got points for appearance and texture, but the aroma didn’t wow as much, and over a third (35%) found the sauce a bit on the thin side.
Fancy saving yourself a few quid? If you go through two tins of beans a week, switching from Heinz to Aldi could save you a whopping £103 a year. Aldi beans would set you back just £42.64 for a year’s supply compared to Heinz at £145.60.
At the bottom end of the list came M&S Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce (50p for a 400g tin) with a score of 67% – the lowest of the lot. While most testers liked the texture of both the beans and the sauce, less than half (45%) were satisfied with the flavour, and a third (32%) wanted a bit more sweetness.
Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, summed it up perfectly:
‘Baked beans are a staple for many households and our results show you don’t have to pay a premium for the best taste.’
She added: ‘Choosing supermarket own-label groceries is not only a great way to save money, but our tests prove that you can end up with a better tasting product and save over £100 a year by making the switch.’
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