REDESIGN TIME: Heinz Regional BBQ Sauces

Redesign Time takes a look at packaging design changes.

Heinz Hawaii Style BBQ Sauce  2019 Redesign
Heinz Hawaii Style BBQ Sauce (2019 Redesign) Photo via Leonard G.
Heinz Hawaii Style BBQ Sauce  2017 Design
Heinz Hawaii Style BBQ Sauce (2017 Design) Photo via Robbie.

Being from this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I had to start with the Hawaii Style BBQ Sauce. It wasn’t part of Heinz’s regional BBQ sauce lineup when it debuted in 2016. It showed up a year later. While the original design featured a pineapple in the background, the 2019 design has a less edible hibiscus flower. Yes, thanks to Starbucks and Trader Joe’s, we can consume hibiscus, but if I were to pick a hibiscus and a pineapple from their respective plants, I’m sure most of you would choose the pineapple.

Heinz Memphis Style BBQ Sauce  2019 Redesign
Heinz Memphis Style BBQ Sauce (2019 Redesign) Photo via Leonard G.
Heinz Memphis Style BBQ Sauce  2016 Design
Heinz Memphis Style BBQ Sauce (2016 Design) Photo via Stephen B.

Memphis is the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock and Roll, which explains the old school stage microphone in the 2019 design. With the 2016 design, some of the text is done in a neon sign style. Back when I first saw this bottle, I didn’t understand why the neon sign font was used. And I didn’t look it up because I’m lazy. This time around I did some research (i.e. Googled it) and learned about Beale Street.

Heinz Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce  2019 Redesign
Heinz Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce (2019 Design) Photo via Leonard G.
Heinz Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce  2017 Design
Heinz Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce (2017 Design) Photo via Josh G.

So what’s the deal with the 2019 Heinz Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce bottle having a baseball theme? I know Kansas City has the Royals, its Major League Baseball team, but is there a notable baseball history there. Apparently, there somewhat is, but is that enough to justify having a baseball and bat? Also, what’s the deal with the 2017 design? It’s a brick wall.

Heinz Carolina Mustard Style BBQ Sauce  2019 Redesign
Heinz Carolina Mustard Style BBQ Sauce (2019 Redesign) Photo via Leonard G.
Heinz Carolina Mustard Style BBQ Sauce  2017 Design
Heinz Carolina Mustard Style BBQ Sauce (2017 Design) Photo via Josh G.

When I first saw the new designs, the first thing that popped into my head was postcards, especially the Carolina one. All the artwork would look good as postcards with the addition of a “Greetings From…” on them. Now that I think about it, with the previous designs, the fonts signified the region the sauces represent. There’s the neon sign lettering for Memphis, the Kansas City in script similar to what’s on the Kansas City Royals uniforms, the fancy old timey western font for Carolina, and a sans serif font for Hawaii that I don’t know why it is the way it is.

Heinz Original BBQ Sauce  2019 Redesign
Heinz Original BBQ Sauce (2019 Redesign) Photo via Leonard G.
Heinz Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce
Heinz Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce (2019 Redesign) Photo via Leonard G.

I like the uniform look of the new designs. I wonder if there’s new artwork for the other regional Heinz BBQ Sauces, like Texas and Kentucky Bourbon.

What do you think of the new designs?

6 thoughts to “REDESIGN TIME: Heinz Regional BBQ Sauces”

  1. I love these Redesign Time posts. I like the new Hawaii bottle, but it’s funny they changed the flavor description from “Sweet & Smoky” to “Sweet & Fruity” and yet took the pineapple off the label. The Kansas City Royals are named after the American Royal, which is a yearly livestock show that dates back to 1899. 40 years ago they started hosting a BBQ competition as well, and it’s gotten pretty big. I guess that could be a roundabout reason they used a baseball theme.

  2. I’m a fan of Heinz’s Carolina style BBQ sauce. I won’t use it on ribs or pulled pork, but it’s a good standby for chicken nug dipping.

  3. Don’t like what has been done to this & IF IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO BE TOO SWEET – I will be returning to the store where I buy it under the new label:
    Old label Heinz Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy BBQ Sauce in Carolina Blue to a new green label which emphasizes “sweet” no longer showing Pitmaster’s name, Sam Jones who help develop the earlier sauce.
    BTW – this sauce was not an impulse buy but the site I found covering “Redesign Time at Heinz” I had been using the sauce before the so called redesign.

Comments are closed.