Back in 2023, Heinz expanded its catalogue with a brand-new sauce that divides opinion to this day.
It won’t have had to update its ‘57 varieties’ tagline, of course, with the figure being a long-outdated marketing ploy that doesn’t actually reflect the Heinz line-up.
Nevertheless, a new Heinz product is sure to prick some ears, and the one in 2023 that managed to cause a stir was of course, pickle-flavoured ketchup.
Pickles, or gherkins, are pretty common ketchup bedfellows, so it was surely only a matter of time before the sauce and beans giant cobbled the two together in one handy, squeezable blend.
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Heinz described the new sauce so we don’t have to: “Our classic Tomato Ketchup with a delicious twist. We've added a pickle flavour to give it a sweet tanginess that will take your burger to the next level.
"But don't just save it for the burgers! It's just as tasty with sausages and toasties and transforms crusty bread and cheese into a pickly ploughman's.”
When you mess with any long-beloved institution like ketchup, you’re bound to ruffle a few feathers.
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It doesn’t take long to find some disturbed plumage on Facebook, of course, the internet’s mecca for sensible discourse.
UK Food Finds, a popular page on the Meta social media titan, was home to plenty of pickle ketchup consternation.
“How actually dare they?” asked one person.
“I think I will pass,” said another.
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One word was enough for some: “Nasty.”
"Something fundamentally wrong there,” proclaimed another.
Some weren’t so quick to condemn the ketchup concoction.
“Hmmm not too sure how I feel about this one,” said a more open-minded person. “That'll either be insanely good or vile as f**k.”
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If you’re wondering how you’ll fare, wonder no longer: for the low-low price of £2.90, you can try some out for yourself.
Peppered in amongst those not so keen, were a few pickle ketchup advocates who didn’t mind going against the grain.
“What a game-changer,” said one who’d been won over.
“There's something about it that makes me think this would be incredible,” said another person.
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For Heinz, breaking the mould is just another day at the office.
"At Heinz, we've been at the forefront of food innovation for more than 150 years and we're always thinking about how we can play with the unmistakable taste of our ketchup,” said Thiago Rapp, who was Head of Heinz Communications and Brand Build at the time but has since become Taste Elevation (Sauces) Marketing and Media Director for Northern Europe.
"We know there are lots of pickle fans out there, so it made sense to bring two of the nation’s favourite flavours, Heinz Tomato Ketchup and tangy pickle, together.
"We've been hard at work perfecting the best recipe and we're sure you're going to love it. It's dill-licious.”
A crime against sauces? No?
A crime against puns? The authorities have been informed.
Topics: US Food
Rachael Davis