Just as the beers on the bar send a message about a pub, so do the front-of-house food brands.
Family brewer Wadworth & Co has recently revamped and rationalised is condiment offer, switching its 39 managed pubs from various unbranded products to the Heinz range.
Scott Ferguson, food development manager with the Devizes-based company, says: "If we are to raise our game on the perception of our food offering, then we must offer only the best.
"Gone are the days when we could offer cheap brands to the consumer; they now expect to see premium brands in serious food houses."
As well as its flagship 6X cask ale, Wadworth produces beers including Horizon, Henry's IPA, JCB, Malt & Hops and Old Father Timer. While the beers have an established following, there was a feeling the food side had fallen behind as other operators raised the competitive stakes.
"When I joined the company in 2006 the food operation lacked the elements for us to be taken seriously," says Scott.
"One way we added credibility was to up the ante on fresh, local and home-made offerings. While we've always employed suppliers local to the West Country, over the past year, we've changed a lot of our stock.
"We now use two or three butchers in the region for fresh, local meat and offer unusual choices such as venison and wild boar."
Improving presentation and customer perception was also key. "Lots of little things contribute to overall success and what you present front of house is just as vital as the food you serve up," says Scott. "Many of our problems stemmed from pubs in the group thinking mainly of quick profit, stocking cheaper products without thinking of the image they projected."
From October 2007, managers were asked to phase out former products and introduce sauces in glass bottles. "We needed to raise the perception of Wadworth pubs and attract customers in what has become a fiercely competitive arena," explains Scott.
"Around 50 per cent of our pubs already offered the sauces in our own wooden, bespoke trays which the glass bottles sit in. But continuity is extremely important and this has to be a protocol which applies across the board. The sauces make a statement front-of-house. They clearly send out the message 'we do food' and good food at that."
Chris Cannon, head of marketing at Heinz Foodservice, says: "Consumers want to see brands with heritage and stability. They provide quality cues and reassurance. Stocking a well-known, familiar brand ultimately says you care about the food you serve and about your customers."