PITTSBURGH and CHICAGO — The Kraft Heinz Company on Wednesday announced the launch of Just Spices in the U.S. market just one year after the company completed its acquisition of a majority stake in the business.
Just Spices is expected to be a critical growth driver for Kraft Heinz’s "Taste Elevation" business, which is focused on flavor enhancement, and is one of the company’s platforms for continued growth as outlined as part of its long-term strategy.
“Just Spices will elevate the overall cooking experience for American families, just as it has done in Europe for nearly a decade,” said Carlos Abrams-Rivera, executive vice president & president, North America, Kraft Heinz. “Bringing together Just Spices’ high-quality product, data and direct-to-consumer capabilities with Kraft Heinz’s scale and brand loyalty creates the perfect storm to disrupt the U.S. spice category as we know it.”
Launched in 2014, Just Spices trailblazed the category with its 170-plus product portfolio that includes offerings for diverse meal occasions ranging from breakfast and light snacks to salads and baking, and a broad range of savory, sweet, classic and exotic flavors. Just Spices’ growing business sells approximately 70% of its ready-made and one-step spice blends directly to consumers, with its remaining sales through major grocery retailers both in-store and online in Germany, Spain, Austria, the U.K. and Switzerland.
Just Spices’ approach to machine-learning product innovation is geared towards the needs of younger, flavor-forward families. The brand’s advanced analytics allows it to identify early consumer trends and flavor preferences by region, and based on consumer sentiment for these trends, Just Spices creates, customizes and optimizes its product line accordingly.
“Just Spices blends have become household staples in many countries throughout Europe, and we’re thrilled to bring Americans the opportunity to cook with more creativity and flavor,” said Nadja Francis, U.S. general manager at Just Spices. “Making a delicious homemade dish shouldn’t be complicated. We take the guesswork out of cooking and meal-prepping any dish – whether it's with our toppings, our blends or our Allrounders. We’re not selling ingredients; we’re selling meal solutions. From the colorful labels to the versatile flavors and unique applications, consumers will never be bored in the kitchen again.”
Unlike many spice brands, Just Spices focuses solely on blends, creating three different categories to match specific usage occasions without the need to invest in a pantry full of spice jars: Allrounders, Seasonings, and Toppings. The initial launch of Just Spices in the U.S. will include ten of its community-favorite products: Chicken Allrounder, Vegetable Allrounder, Pasta Allrounder, BBQ Allrounder, Salmon Allrounder, Caprese Allrounder, Egg Topping, Avocado Topping, Fajita Seasoning and Enchilada Seasoning, now available online at Justspices.com with a suggested retail price of $6.99.
