Heinz, Hunt's battle over who's first with upside-down ketchup bottles

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Thursday, May 23, 2002 | Teresa F. Lindeman

[Willie Green]

The makers of America's two largest ketchup brands came out with bottles spraying yesterday as both announced plans to give the nation the best, cleanest, straightest-shooting container of tomato condiment ever.

In one corner, the Heinz Easy Squeeze -- an upside-down squeezable container with a patented silicone valve that directs ketchup only where users want it to go.

[Willie Green]

Competition benefits consumers.

But what about those who prefer the lower cost of traditional bottles?

And where's the other "competition" in the ketchup market?
Sounds like an oligopoly to me.

[kaktuskid]

Store brand ketchup

[Clemenza]

There is only one true Ketchup and it is made in Pittsburgh. Hunt's isn't ketchup so much as Tomato Swill.

[nothingnew]

KETCHUP!...."It's what's for dinner....."

FMCDH

[advocate10]

"Shake and shake the ketchup bottle.

None 'll come, and then a lot 'll"

...Nash

[Willie Green]

There is only one true Ketchup and it is made in Pittsburgh. Hunt's isn't ketchup so much as Tomato Swill.

Delmonte makes a faux-ketchup as well.
It took me a little while to remember them,
but I suppose there is more competition in the ketchup market than I thought.
More than the so-called "cola-wars" anyway.

[B-A-Grizzley]

If using Heinz, hold the bottle in one hand pointing down at a 45 degree angle with the raised lettering "57" on the glass pointing up (toward ceiling)

Hit bottle with other hand on the Glass "57" on the side of the bottle, it'll come out every time <`):-)

[girlscout]

Remember when ketchup was also called catsup? Does anyone still use the "catsup" word?

[pittsburgh gop guy]

You are correct, there is Heinz - and then there is mushed tomatoes.

[dead]

And where's the other "competition" in the ketchup market?

You can probably find some Chinese produced ketchup in the aisles of Wal-Mart.

See, globalization begets competition!

[Clemenza]

China Mart sells some of the junkiest food at low prices. Not that that's a bad thing. :-)

[null and void]

You are a wise man, oh great one...

[dead]

I've only been in WalMart once in my life (they're not to be found in North Jersey.)

Usually, one must work the prize crane on the boardwalk to find products of such stunningly bad quality.

[Clemenza]

It was my understanding that Wal-Mart hesitated entering NY/NJ/CT because property was too expensive, even before the sky-high taxes. When I was a kid in the 80s, there were NO Wal-Marts or Kmarts on Long Island, to say nothing of Home Depot. Now I understand that has changed. I'm surprised that they haven't entered the North Jersey megasuburbs yet.

[tracer]

My recollection of an old commercial causes me to wonder, if Hunt's prevails in this case, will a sober-faced jury foreman announce the verdict with the words "Heinz loses?"

[dead]

We're still WalMart free in Bergen County, as far as I know. Something called Kohl's showed up when Caldor went belly up, and K-Mart's hanging by a thread.

Of course, you can practically cross the state these days just by walking from one Home Depot's parking lot into the next.

[Willie Green]

if Hunt's prevails in this case, will a sober-faced jury foreman announce the verdict

I don't believe this is going to court, they each have their own bottle design. It may be interesting to see which proves to be the better design over time.

My prediction for the winner: Murphy's Law! They'll both leak!

[MotleyGirl70]

I've only been in WalMart once in my life (they're not to be found in North Jersey.)

Rodger that. I've only been in Wal Mart once, about eight years ago to buy a crappy VCR, that has since been retired.

To get ketchup out of the bottle, karate chop it a few times on the "neck" of the bottle.

[NovemberCharlie]

This is news? I've been turning my Heinz bottle upside down for years.

[Willie Green]

That's a long time to have a ketchup bottle.
I hope you've kept it refrigerated.