Heinz and Absolut revive vodka pasta sauce

Absolut Vodka and Heinz have partnered to bring back the viral Tomato Vodka Pasta Sauce due to popular demand.

The two globally acclaimed brands debuted their collaborative pasta sauce in March 2023 in the UK market. It quickly went viral, selling out in just four days. Due to popularity, purchases were limited to two per customer, and some jars were resold for up to £250 (US$321) on eBay. Despite launching only in the UK, the global response ‘was overwhelming, with fans desperate to get their hands on the once limited-edition pasta sauce’. Now, the brands have come together to relaunch the Tomato Vodka Pasta Sauce, responding to consumer demand through direct messages to the companies and through numerous TikTok videos, recipes, social media posts, and listings on popular restaurant menus. “As the top-selling Heinz product and number-one-selling pasta sauce at the time of launch, we knew pasta lovers were as obsessed with it as we were,” said Caio Fontenele, head of growth at Kraft Heinz. “After receiving countless messages from fans all over the world asking how they could get their hands on a jar, we knew we couldn’t ignore it. Now, everybody can have the ultimate pasta alla vodka experience with the iconic combination of Heinz’s high-quality tomatoes and Absolut’s premium vodka.” The secret of the sauce lies in the vodka, which ‘unlocks the flavours and intensifies the aroma’ of the tomato, basil and cheese sauce. During the cooking process, most of the alcohol from the vodka is reduced, ‘boosting the volatile flavour compounds already present in the tomatoes and creating a rich texture that perfectly balances the creamy notes with the rich tomato and fragrant basil’. “We’re absolut-ly thrilled to rekindle our partnership with the Heinz team. As passionate collaborators, we’re dedicated to delivering only the best to our consumers,” said Debasree Dasgupta, vice president of marketing at Absolut. “At Absolut, our ‘Born to Mix’ philosophy enables us to perfectly blend our premium vodka with Heinz’s finest pasta sauce to create something truly exceptional. Our mission? To stir up unique and delightful experiences. So naturally, we're reintroducing this fan-favourite as the recipe craze continues to simmer.”

Heinz x Absolut Tomato Vodka Pasta Sauce retails at £2.50 (US$3.20) for a 350g jar and is available exclusively at Waitrose from 29 July and through other retailers in autumn 2024.