Australia’s best supermarket baked beans have been crowned
Wattie’s baked beans have been crowned the best baked beans of 2026, according to Aussie shoppers.
Consumer group Canstar asked 1557 supermarket customers for their feedback on the baked beans brands they’ve purchased from a supermarket and eaten in the last six months.
Wattie's baked beans have been crowned the best of 2026 by supermarket shoppers. Jo Abi
Wattie’s earned five stars for overall satisfaction, flavour, texture and sauce, as well as bean-to-sauce balance.
The brand was given four stars for its variety and product range, only let down by the price, earning just three out of five stars when it came to value for money.
A 420g tin of Wattie’s baked beans costs $2.70 at Coles and Woolworths, or 64c per 100g.
In second place came Aldi’s budget baked beans brand Corale, with five stars for value for money, and four stars for overall satisfaction, flavour, texture and bean-to-sauce ratio.
Corale was given just three out of five stars for variety and product range.
A 420g tin of Corale baked beans costs less than half of winning Wattie’s brand, at just $1.09, or 26c per 100g.
In third place, SPC, earning five stars for variety and product range, and four stars for overall satisfaction, flavour, texture and sauce, value for money, and bean-to-sauce ratio.
A 425g tin of SPC baked beans costs $2.50 or 59c per 100g.
Heinz, Australia’s most popular baked beans brand, landed in fourth place, with four stars in most categories, but only two out of five stars when it came to value for money.
A 300g tin of Heinz baked beans costs $2.90 or 97c per 100g.
Aldi's budget brand Corale placed second on the list. Jo Abi
Rounding out the list, Coles’ home brand baked beans in fifth place, Woolworths’ in sixth spot, and Coles Simply in seventh place.
The history of baked beans in Australia
Baked beans as we currently know them can be traced back to the late 1800s when a batch of beans was prepared the night before as a warm breakfast during the colder months.
SPC placed third, and best selling brand Heinz came in at fourth. Jo Abi
Henry Heinz brought the first tinned version of the product to London in 1886 and while they began as a luxury item, mass production saw them become a popular and affordable staple.
Heinz baked beans were exported to Australia where they became popular on the gold fields during the gold rush. Local production began in 1935 and baked beans quickly became an Aussie staple, supported by the launch of SPC in 1917.
Competition ramped up when Heinz opened an Australian factory in 1935.
US-owned Heinz and Australian-owned SPC are the two most popular baked beans brands in the country. Jo Abi
The invention of the Breville Jaffle Maker in the 1950s led to the next evolution, baked beans jaffles and then baked beans on toast.
Baked beans are ‘cost-effective’, but are they healthy?
Canstar spokesperson Eden Radford told nine.com.au their survey data showed baked beans are a “cost-effective family favourite” and “for the majority of Australians, they’re the go-to comfort food for an affordable meal”.
“Canstar’s survey data also reveals that just over two-fifths (45 per cent) of consumers are brand-loyal baked beans lovers who will always purchase the same kind, while only 12 per cent will buy the cheapest option available.
“When it comes to how Aussies like to eat their baked beans, 38 per cent say they like them in jaffles or toasted sandwiches.
“Interestingly, not everyone likes them hot, with just 65 per cent always heating them.”
Some baked beans brands contain more added sugar than others. iStockphoto
Although paediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher has warned that most supermarket baked beans contain added sugar, which means they aren’t as healthy as some may believe.
“They have around between one and two teaspoons of sugar,” she told nine.com.au.
“Some of that’s naturally occurring, but there is a lot of it coming from that additional refined sugar.
“Manufacturers are also adding modified thickeners and flavours and other additives to give it that texture. So a simple, humble bean, which is a plant protein, full of fibre, full of protein – which is a great addition to a family’s diet – is becoming ultra -processed because of what manufacturers are adding to it for texture, sweetness, and stability.”
She recommends the Macro Organic baked beans brand sold at Woolworths as a healthier supermarket option.
Her advice is that if parents haven’t introduced their children to baked beans yet, it’s better to make them themselves.
She suggest making baked beans themselves, or serving plain beans with cheese. iStockphoto
“Just any can of beans – white beans, navy beans, cannellini bans – whip up a bit of pasta sauce or a bit of tomato paste in a pan with garlic, and if you want to sweeten it up just add a bit of maple syrup or a bit of honey.
“But I think that if your start kids off just on beans with some melted cheese, they won’t even miss the sweetness.”
