While many dip their fries in ketchup or some other sauce, it takes a special kind of person to do that with a burger .
While the French Dip sandwich has always been a thing, burger-dipping was popularized by TikTok users who filmed videos of themselves dunking a full slider into sauce and potato chip combos.
Some videos of content creators doing the "Chip And Dip" have over a million views on the ByteDance-owned platform that has over 1 billion active users.
In an effort to show that it can hang with the influencer crowd, Heinz (KHC) released a sauce designed (and, more importantly, shaped) specifically for burger-dipping.
The Dip & Crunch Is Exactly What It Sounds Like
Called the Heinz Dip & Crunch, the new product comes in the Secret Sauce and Spicy Varieties.
A box that looks like what burgers come in (actual slider not included) has a container of the sauce and a container of potato chip crumbs that one can alternate between for burger dipping.
"We spent a lot of time listening," Sanjiv Gajiwala, the chief growth officer at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement.
"For us to hear that debate online, then bring it to life, is an example of how we’re listening differently, how consumer taste is evolving, and how that listening is helping us react."
The Secret Sauce is a combination of tomato puree, molasses, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic powder, tamarind concentrate, onion powder and spices.
The Spicy version has all of that and a stronger spice component.
The Heinz Dip & Crunch will be available at Walmart (WMT), Meijer, Target Target and The Giant Company for $2.49. If the price seems low, it's because it will only be good for one burger.
The logistics of how the burger-dipping would work (do you dip your own burger or buy it in advance and bring to a fast food restaurant?) have not been expanded upon.
Remember The Mayochup?
The Dip & Crunch is a direct descendant of another Heinz attempt to create a sauce you would have never known you need.
Launched in 2018, the Mayochup, a blend of ketchup and mayonnaise, was initially met with derision but is now one of the company's more popular sauces.
"As we continue to reimagine mealtime, we’re excited to offer a solution for consumers looking for accessible dipping sauces and unique textures to help further embrace the fun of cooking and eating at home," Heinz Brand Director Ashleigh Gibson said in a statement.
For both snack and fast food companies, the "they made what?!" approach is proving to be a very successful marketing technique as many buy things out of curiosity alone.
Just this week, Krispy Kreme (DNUT) launched three donuts inspired by General Mills (GIS)'s Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
In terms of gross factor, it will also be hard to beat the "Chillollipops" that Coors Light (TAP.A) tried to make a thing in time for last March Madness, with lollipops that have no actual alcohol but taste strongly of hops.
"These are part of a long tradition of companies creating new, slightly outrageous, fast food and snack food combinations – more cheese, more meat, more layers, adding sauces, [or] Cheetos, for crunch and a pop of flavor," food historian Ashley Rose Young told BBC in 2019.
