Heinz takes baked beans out of the can

The humble baked bean, which pioneered fast food in the days when starving students gobbled them cold straight from the tin, has finally joined the pot noodle generation.

Heinz is about to launch a four-pack "Snap pot" version of its celebrated staple, for instant microwaving without any need to wash up.



Branded as the Snap Pot, the pots are a big step for the US giant whose founder Henry John Heinz, nicknamed the Great Provider, had a lifelong love affair with cans. The company said yesterday that the line, which will appear in British stores in October, would be the first time that Heinz baked beans had been sold in anything other than the familiar 57 Varieties tin. This has suited customers since 1901 when the baked bean first appeared with the secret-recipe sauce.

"Snap Pots are perfect for people with time-pressured lifestyles who want a light snack without adding to the washing up or taking up valuable fridge space storing the remainder of the can," said Heinz spokesman Nathan Ansell. The line, costing £1.49, will also include spaghetti hoops.