# What is it about Heinz Ketchup that makes it so wonderful? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284 "2012-07-24T21:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Aeris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Aeris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeris)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/21 "2012-07-25T14:08:50Z")
I am a Heinz fan. Hunt’s and any of the organic stuff I try just tastes bland. I do try to buy organic and healthy when possible but ketchup is one of the things that I am willing to buy brand name. Granted I don’t even eat ketchup very often, usually only when making pulled pork. But it’s probably the sugar that makes Heinz so delicious. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/22 "2012-07-25T14:14:58Z")
Tastes like burning. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/23 "2012-07-25T14:25:25Z")
Hunt’s and Heinz are both good brands, but Del Monte ketchup is just evil! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/24 "2012-07-25T14:57:23Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I agree. Hunt’s is better than Heinz. I thought I was a Heinz guy until I had them side-by-side. Hunt’s is fresher and more tomato tasting. For me, Hunt’s wins in a landslide. See, I don’t want my ketchup tasting of tomato. I want it to taste like salt and sugar, but mostly salt! > [@voltaire](#): > > It’s all that sweet, sweet high-fructose corn syrup. Heinz makes a Reduced Sugar variety that tastes just the same to me (no doubt they have replaced the sweetness 1:1 with sugar alcohols). I just wanted to pimp it here so people maybe start buying it and it doesn’t disappear from the shelves 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/25 "2012-07-25T15:28:36Z")
Ever go to an eatery where the establishment has tried to pull the old ketchup switcheroo? That is, put the inferior quality, bulk-sale brand in the Heinz bottle and hope no one can tell the difference. Personally I can’t but my wife, ever the connoisseur on matters such as these, has her spidey sense go off and knows immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/26 "2012-07-25T15:57:33Z")
For me Heinz=Ketchup. When I see Hunt’s on a table it makes me feel like I stepped into a parallel universe. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/27 "2012-07-25T16:07:39Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > Ever go to an eatery where the establishment has tried to pull the old ketchup switcheroo? That is, put the inferior quality, bulk-sale brand in the Heinz bottle and hope no one can tell the difference. > > Personally I can’t but my wife, ever the connoisseur on matters such as these, has her spidey sense go off and knows immediately. They may be filling it with Heinz from the big ass [can](http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid=10208235&whse=BD_767&topnav=bd&cat=8262&hierPath=7446*8260*8262*&lang=en-US) and the can makes it taste funny. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/28 "2012-07-25T16:08:23Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Heinz makes a Reduced Sugar variety that tastes just the same to me ( They also make a style called “Simply Heinz” that uses sugar rather than HFCS. I can’t tell the difference, and it lets me stick it to Big Corn. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/29 "2012-07-25T20:44:55Z")
> [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](#): > > Well, those taste tests must be about as worthwhile as Hunt’s itself, which is to say, not too damn worthy. Sure, Heinz is pretty good. > [@](#): > > Heinz rules over Hunts nearly as much as Jif rules over Skippy. Die blasphemer! Use his blood to flavor the Hunt’s! > [@Acsenray](#): > > Is it true that Hunt’s changed from “catsup” to “ketchup” only because the Reagan administration’s regulations allowed “ketchup” to be counted as a vegetable but made no mention of “catsup”? It was a proposal, don’t think it actually became law/regulation. I suppose that doesn’t mean that it’s automatically wrong, although parsimony would suggest that they changed it because most Americans say ketchup. > [@Quimby](#): > > For me Heinz=Ketchup. When I see Hunt’s on a table it makes me feel like I stepped into a parallel universe. It’s from my area originally, but the Bay Area is firmly Heinz territory. Where is Hunt’s popular? The Midwest? Is it for people who put Ranch dressing and Miracle Whip on everything? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/30 "2012-07-25T20:47:42Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > It’s from my area originally, but the Bay Area is firmly Heinz territory. Where is Hunt’s popular? The Midwest? Is it for people who put Ranch dressing and Miracle Whip on everything? See, I think of Heinz as the Miracle Whip of ketchup myself. Hunt’s has purity of flavor. Heinz is just some bastard tomato-like condiment. That said, I do have both in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/31 "2012-07-25T21:06:34Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > parsimony would suggest that they changed it because most Americans say ketchup. So far as I know, “catsup” and “ketchup” were always pronounced the same in the United States. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/32 "2012-07-25T21:11:24Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So far as I know, “catsup” and “ketchup” were always pronounced the same in the United States. Oh you pedants 🙂 say in this context also means write. FWIW, American Heritage and Collins give both, plus a third slight variation. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard it spoken. I only remember Mr. Burns being confused by the difference and saying both distinctively different. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/33 "2012-07-25T21:16:46Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So far as I know, “catsup” and “ketchup” were always pronounced the same in the United States. I’ve definitely heard cats-up. [Click on the audio link here.](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/catsup?s=t) ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/34 "2012-07-25T21:20:39Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > They also make a style called “Simply Heinz” that uses sugar rather than HFCS. I can’t tell the difference, and it lets me stick it to Big Corn. We switched to this and can’t tell the difference either. I just wish I could buy Heinz Mustard at my local groceries. I am reduced to stealing it from restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/35 "2012-07-25T21:25:01Z")
For myself, Heinz has a certain vinegar to sweetness ratio that no other ketchup seems to come close to replicating. It’s mostly their particular vinegar taste I like best. Hunts is just awful. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/36 "2012-07-25T21:37:47Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Marketing and brand loyalty. People will argue to the contrary until they’re blue in the face, but blind taste tests suggest otherwise . Not just with ketchup, but with wine, beer, soft drinks, mayo, etc. > > See the Pepsi challenge, ketchup taste test referenced above, Smirnoff winning vodka tastings, etc. Malcolm Gladwell wrote a piece about why items that win taste tests don’t sell as well as their competitors. IIRC, Pepsi wins over Coke in a taste test because it is sweeter, and sweeter is more appealing in one or two sips. If, however, you drink a whole can, Pepsi becomes more cloying, and the same people who rated it more highly on the first sip will now rate Coke more highly. The same principle applies to many, many other items and tastes other than just sweet. Sorry, don’t remember the name of the piece, but it was definitely Malcolm Gladwell. It could have been collected in Blink…I listened to it on a long car trip, coming into Columbia, SC in the winter a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/37 "2012-07-25T21:43:31Z")
Yeah, you see, I would consider Coca-Cola Classic to be more cloying than Pepsi. I rarely drink either, but it seems like the former sticks to my teeth. It may not be sugar, but it’s… something. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/38 "2012-07-25T21:45:07Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Yeah, you see, I would consider Coca-Cola Classic to be more cloying than Pepsi. I rarely drink either, but it seems like the former sticks to my teeth. It may not be sugar, but it’s… something. Nah, for me, Pepsi definitely seem the less “dry” of the two. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/39 "2012-07-25T21:49:28Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Yeah, you see, I would consider Coca-Cola Classic to be more cloying than Pepsi. I rarely drink either, but it seems like the former sticks to my teeth. It may not be sugar, but it’s… something. I don’t drink them, either. Just reporting on what he wrote about the sip test, and the overall preferences of consumers. Individual tastes vary, of course. He also considered the influence of the label, if it is revealed. The comments on wine tasting were very entertaining for the sardonically inclined. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284/40 "2012-07-26T09:28:04Z")
I pity the rest of the world, that doesn’t have the experience of All Gold Tomato Sauce (which is what we call ketchup). Made with just tomatoes, sugar, vinegar and spices. We get your Heinz stuff here too, and it’s OK, but it’s not All Gold. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-about-heinz-ketchup-that-makes-it-so-wonderful/629284.md?page=3)