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Heinz no longer qualifies as ketchup in Israel
timesofisrael ^ | August 20, 2015 | Gabe Friedman

Posted on 08/25/2015 5:52:35 AM PDT by JoeProBono

In the United States, Heinz is nearly synonymous with ketchup, but Israel has kicked the brand out of that category of condiments all together.

Israel’s Health Ministry recently ruled that the Heinz brand product does not contain enough “tomato solids” to be labeled as ketchup in Israeli stores. It will now be relegated to the title “tomato seasoning,” Ynet reported.

The ruling was the result of a lobbying campaign by Israeli food manufacturer Osem, which produces a large portion of the ketchup consumed in Israel. Israelis have long complained that local monopolies distort the economy, and especially the food market, leading to high prices on products like cottage cheese and Milky brand pudding.

In a letter the company sent to retailers back in January, Osem claimed that it had tested Heinz ketchup in a “leading European external laboratory” and found that it only contained 21 percent tomato concentrate instead of the 61 percent it advertised to consumers. Israeli trade standards require ketchup to have at least 41 percent tomato concentrate.

The letter sparked a war of words between Osem and Diplomat, the company that distributes Heinz ketchup in Israel. Osem controls about two thirds of the market for Israeli ketchup, leaving Heinz in a distant second place in terms of sales.

“Obviously, Osem, which has a monopoly, would be happy if it were only possible to sell their product in Israel,” a spokesperson for Diplomat told Ynet in January. “But Osem’s claims have no substance.”

Osem fired back, claiming that no one else had raised legitimate concerns about the composition of Heinz’s product.

According to Haaretz, Diplomat is currently petitioning to change the Health Ministry’s standards in order to allow Heinz to qualify as ketchup once more.

In the meantime, consumers may be left wondering about Heinz ketchup’s actual tomato content.


TOPICS: Food
KEYWORDS: heinz; israel; ketchup
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
Ketchup used to be tomatoes, vinegar, and a very little sugar. It then was changed into a concoction that is mostly red-dyed high fructose corn syrup. Some brands have improved; you have to read the labels carefully.

I've switched to Salsa. There are quite a few salsa choices that are all vegetable with maybe a very little real sugar, no dyes, inexpensive and tasty.

21 posted on 08/25/2015 6:43:10 AM PDT by grania
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To: JoeProBono
It's advertising BS, of course ... but notice that you actually have to READ the advertisement? Nobody, today, would put anywhere near that much text in an ad like that.
22 posted on 08/25/2015 6:48:21 AM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: JoeProBono

You shake and shake the ketchup bottle
First none comes, and then a lottle.


23 posted on 08/25/2015 6:50:46 AM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: grania
Ketchup used to be tomatoes, vinegar, and a very little sugar. It then was changed into a concoction that is mostly red-dyed high fructose corn syrup.

I don't know if it's that I'm getting older or what, but I've noticed a lot of foods have gotten sweeter over the years. Ketchup, bread, even "unsweetened" breakfast cereal, just to name a few examples.

24 posted on 08/25/2015 6:55:28 AM PDT by Drew68
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To: JoeProBono
Heinz Carnival Cream (via Mid Century Menu)
25 posted on 08/25/2015 6:56:03 AM PDT by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: JoeProBono
Ketchup Bottle
26 posted on 08/25/2015 6:58:31 AM PDT by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: JoeProBono
Ketchup Robot Fail
27 posted on 08/25/2015 6:58:52 AM PDT by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: ETL

I’m not sure I would actually want to ...

But how many people, today, have the knowledge and skill to make that recipe?


28 posted on 08/25/2015 6:59:21 AM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: NorthMountain

You need to come over to the Weekly Cooking Thread. There are many excellent cooks on FR.

(I’m not sure they’d want to make that either, though ;-)

-JT


29 posted on 08/25/2015 8:11:00 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, If you can keep it.")
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To: Cincinnatus.45-70

:)


30 posted on 08/25/2015 8:55:44 AM PDT by chesley (Obama -- Muslim or dhimmi? And does it matter?)
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To: Irenic; ImJustAnotherOkie
I wish they would sell that stuff in grocery stores!

THEY DO!

Whataburger, H-E-B bring new restaurant items to store shelves By Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle Updated 9:41 am, Thursday, June 19, 2014
Whataburger will launch into retail sales for the first time by bottling its popular line of condiments Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard making them available exclusively at all Texas and Mexico H-E-B stores this summer. H-E-B will carry both of Whataburger s ketchup varieties, Fancy Ketchup and Spicy Ketchup, in 20-ounce bottles and its Original Mustard in 16-ounce bottles with labeling that reads, Bottled by Popular Demand , Wake Up Your Taste Buds and The True Taste of a Whataburger. Whataburger s Original Mustard is a one-of-a-kind recipe that was first spread on a Whataburger in the 1950s, and its Fancy Ketchup with a recipe that proves not all ketchups are created equal has been a customer favorite for years. Bottled condiments will not be available for purchase at Whataburger restaurants at this time. Photo: Courtesy Photo, Whataburger

31 posted on 08/25/2015 10:33:44 AM PDT by Rodamala
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To: Rodamala

I must get to HEB, I’ve got to get some of this! Thanks and I am so, so happy I can have a whole bottle of that spicy ketchup! LOVE that stuff!


32 posted on 08/25/2015 10:38:04 AM PDT by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheelbarrow)
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To: ETL
I don't know where that gif came from, but I can't stop laughing at it.

A little context as to why: My Old Man tells a story how when he would stop for lunch with his designer employee on the way back to the office from a jobsite, and the employee would always order the same thing, a patty melt and French fries. When the order came, as my father explains it, this employee would take the ketchup bottle (which seemed like it was always a fresh bottle), and uncap it and invert the bottle over the plate and sit there waiting for the ketchup to magically come out of the bottle, like he had nowhere to be in the next 3 days... when in actuality, the Old Man wanted to get back to the office ASAP and start drawing up what they had just field dimensioned, or get started writing an engineering proposal for the possible new job they just looked at. The Old Man had somewhere to be... but not his designer... sitting there sighing waiting, for the ketchup to come out of the bottle, or maybe rapture... or maybe both.

The Old Man always demonstrated his former employee's technique as this story gets told... as the story is always told at the very same diner they would always stop at, and a bottle was available on the table to use as a visual aid.

Picturing my father holding that bottle, giving the gentlest shakes, like he didn't want ketchup to come out... and then my father explaining how he always wanted to grab the bottle out of his employee's hand and violently shake out half the bottle on his fries... Oh, geez... seeing that gif totally reminds me of that story... I just can't stop laughing.

33 posted on 08/25/2015 11:07:25 AM PDT by Rodamala
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To: Irenic
I just wish they had Whataburgers in NW Pennsylvania... I am pretty excited though, because next week I will be in Texas again for work, so I will get my fix.

It's just... kinda expensive for fast food... and I may as well go get me some brisket... or gumbo and an oyster poboy instead... or ALL of that.

I miss Texas... so much.

34 posted on 08/25/2015 11:14:09 AM PDT by Rodamala
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To: shibumi

I tried French’s and was not impressed. It has the correct consistency, but seems flat. A bit more vinegar or some lemon juice is required to make it tangy.


35 posted on 08/25/2015 11:20:28 AM PDT by Poser (Cogito ergo Spam - I think, therefore I ham)
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To: JoeProBono

Reminds me of a popular saying in the late 50’s early 60’s. He/she doesn’t know shit from shinola


36 posted on 08/25/2015 11:21:12 AM PDT by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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To: JoeProBono
In memory of Cecil
37 posted on 08/25/2015 11:58:14 AM PDT by Daffynition (*We are not descended from fearful men*)
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To: Rodamala

Fancy is the good stuff


38 posted on 08/25/2015 12:43:46 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: Jamestown1630

Ping me to then next one?

I’m quite sure that I could make that recipe, and reasonably certain that I would consider the result to be nasty.


39 posted on 08/25/2015 12:46:28 PM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: Daffynition


40 posted on 08/25/2015 12:51:09 PM PDT by JoeProBono (SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED;-{)
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