In a surprising turn for home cooks, a comprehensive blind taste test has revealed that cheaper supermarket own-brand tinned tomatoes frequently outperform their more expensive counterparts. The study, conducted by Australian consumer advocacy group Choice, put 18 leading brands of diced and chopped tomatoes through their paces.
The Testing Process
Four expert judges assessed each product blind and unheated straight from the tin to capture the true essence of the tomatoes. They evaluated them across multiple criteria including flavour, texture, appearance, and aroma, with flavour carrying the most weight in the final scoring. Palate cleansers of water crackers and plain water were used between tastings to ensure impartial results.
Unexpected Winners Emerge
The top scorer was Italian brand Mutti's Polpa Organic chopped tomatoes, achieving an 80% rating with judges praising its "earthy fresh tomato aroma" and "really rich juice and flesh." At $2.95 for a 400g tin, it was the most expensive product tested.
However, the real story emerged with the following positions. Coles Cucina Matese diced tomatoes secured second place with 76%, despite costing less than half the price of the winner at just $1.40. Judge Pru Engel, Choice's audience and engagement editor, confirmed she has since switched to this brand for her home cooking, citing its excellent value and high score.
Third place saw a tie between Coles Italian diced tomatoes ($1.10) and IGA's Community Co Italian diced tomatoes ($1.30), both scoring 75%. Judges noted both would be perfect for soups, with little separating them apart from the 20-cent price difference.
Price Doesn't Always Equal Quality
The results clearly demonstrated that price isn't always an indicator of performance. While the most expensive product won, three cheaper supermarket brands claimed three of the top four positions.
At the other end of the spectrum, the worst-performing product was one of the cheapest: IGA's Black & Gold chopped tomatoes at 95c, which scored just 48%. Judges described it as "watery" with "discoloured pieces of tomato" and a "really mild aroma."
Many lower-ranked products were criticised for being too acidic, though judge Fiona Mair noted this could be mitigated during cooking by adding a pinch of bicarb soda, sugar, or even a carrot to introduce sweetness.
Of the 18 products tested, five were Australian-made with the majority being Italian imports. The best-performing local product was Woolworths Australian diced tomatoes, scoring a respectable 73% at $1.30 per tin.
The findings provide valuable guidance for consumers, proving that when it comes to tinned tomatoes, careful selection can deliver premium quality without the premium price tag.
