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You may find the coming summer months taste a little...different. Just after the FDA announced its plans to limit salt in processed foods, Heinz has given word that it's tweaking the recipe for its iconic ketchup -- and the new bottles will hit stores this summer. The company, which has not changed this ketchup recipe in 40 years, believes the new formula -- which contains 15 percent less sodium -- will be as popular as the old version, according to the AP. And that's very popular indeed -- the brand corners about 60 percent of the ketchup market. But some customers are expressing doubt.
"Leave the ketchup alone," one Brooklynite said to the New YorkPost. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Another, an octogenarian who's been eating Heinz ketchup for most of his life, lamented in the same article: "I haven't died yet. It's really hard for me to eat without salt. I think it's infringing on our rights!"
Marketing strategists are surely thinking back to the days of New Coke, a massive PR failure, but the Heinz ketchup reformulation has some important differences. For one thing, the catalyst for the change would appear not to be PR but rather public health. Spokeswoman Jessica Jackson told the Post that the company was keeping "the needs of our consumers and our commitment to health and wellness" in mind. The other major difference is the lack of a glitzy ad campaign. Bottles containing the new recipe will have no hint on the label; customers will have to look at the nutritional data in order to tell the difference. (Or, maybe, just taste it.)
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5-14-2010 @2:16PM Erin in the L.A. said... Now they just need to get rid of the high fructose corn syrup.
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5-16-2010 @2:28PM denise o'leary said... Trader Joe's has a delicious ket without HFCS.
5-17-2010 @12:30AM Addie said... Thank you for saying exactly what I was going to say! ALL companies have to get rid of HFCS! There is NO reason for it to be in ANY of our food! Thank you.....
5-16-2010 @3:45PM hollybeam said... If you don't like processed food, DON'T EAT IT. But don't take away my right to salt if I choose to have it. For the sake of compromise, have a Heinz Low Salt Ketchup and then the one we've always had. Your choice! Wonder which one will sell? 3 guesses.
5-16-2010 @4:26PM Dorrie said... That was my thought too. Get rid of the HFCS.
5-16-2010 @4:59PM Linda said... You beat me to the punch. I am grossly more troubled by the HFCS than by the trivial amount of salt.
5-24-2010 @12:26PM carl said... Oddly enough, for the first time in many many years, I stopped buying Heinz. I happened to notice that it contained HFCS and switched to Wegman's organic.
5-16-2010 @5:49PM Deb said... High fructose corn syrup definitely isn't good for us ---- but it's your right to eat it if you want to. MY POINT is being FREE to eat what you want to eat.
5-16-2010 @6:13PM Joanie said... If you are looking for Heinz w/o the HFCS try Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup. It is wonderful!!
5-16-2010 @7:33PM Malinda said... I can't imagine HFCS as having been part of their ingredients all these years. Hmm? Yes, sodium reduction is important, but HFCS is the culprit behind obesity. HFCS is in so many products. Go organic. Organic ketchup actually tastes like real tomato. Try it.
5-16-2010 @7:34PM marcy said... This is wonderful news. It is great that such a great company cares about our health!!!!!
5-14-2010 @3:35PM Jess said... There is a version of Heinz without the HFCS - it is still really good! It's called Simply Heinz - I've been trying all kinds of crappy organic ketchups and nothing close to the original Heinz - so glad they made one without HFCS!
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5-14-2010 @4:23PM Mikebear79 said... Canadian Heinz ketchup made in the Ontario factory has less sodium than the American version and I think it tastes better. This is nothing new.
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5-16-2010 @4:17PM norm said... canadian manufactured products have much more sodium than its american counterparts,{especially campbells and kraft products)and yes mike i checked hunts and hienz and they to have more salt...and all that extra salt is not for taste its for added for shelf life,the more salt and sugar the longer it will last ,its very easy to add more salt to ketchups etc but very hard to take it out after the fact,so all u winey little girls who are so upset about a little less salt should grow up and act like adults
5-14-2010 @7:05PM Michael Coats said... They made some ketchup with tabasco, and it was good. Then, they quit making it, that was bad. Sure, make low sodium ketchup, when it bombs, and it will, they can use it as a tax right off.
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5-15-2010 @5:08PM Rob L said... So now we get to add more salt to our fries..Brilliant!
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5-16-2010 @1:20AM Guido said... Salt your fries? Thats not the way to do it. You salt the little bowl of catsup. Fries should have no salt at all for optimum sodium intake.
5-16-2010 @2:16PM JuicyMater said... I always add salt & pepper to catsup & sometimes , horseradish. Great with fish'n chips. Let the cannuks eat mayonaise.
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5-16-2010 @2:38PM Dave said... Why doesn't the DAMN Government leave it alone. It's the best Ketchup for a reason. Salt? Really, Salt??? What about all the foods that are 50% chemicals? So what a great idea... lets change a classic, so we can add our own damn salt to it... Wonder how much money lobbiest paid to get this stupid thing pushed through.
5-16-2010 @7:55PM Mindy said... My gosh..we were talking about ketchup and it turned into a political discussion. At the risk of stereotyping I wish all the people who love to hate "liberals" would just stop being so angry at the world. All of your problems are not the result of "liberals", the current president, or people who don't live or think like you do. Grow up and take personal responsibility for your own misery. Lighten up. Sometimes we are just talking about ketchup:)