Issue 04 – Ketchup

It's Heinz's world, we're just living in it

Unbox Inbox is a weekly newsletter packed with packaging inspiration and observations

Hi friends! Welcome back to another issue of Unbox Inbox. This week we’re going all in on the most iconic condiment–ketchup (not to be mistaken with America’s top-selling condiment, mayo). What has been fun for me about this newsletter is how different each week is depending on the product or category. Some weeks (like cannabis and coffee) I know there’s going to be an abundance of good packaging design to share, whereas with others I’m not sure what I’m going to find. This week is one of those weeks. So without further ado, follow me down the ketchup rabbit hole.

🍅 This is a long issue, so you may need to hit “expand” or read it in your browser 🍅

A Ketchup Deep Dive

Heinz has over 60% of the market share on ketchup, but I’d argue far more of the mindshare. When you think ketchup, you see a bottle of Heinz. Heinz ketchup dates back to 1876, but they weren’t the first to market. Ketchup (or “ge-thcup” or “koe-cheup”) dates back to imperial China, when it was made with fish entrails, meat byproducts and soybeans. Between then and tomato ketchup’s debut in 1812, westerners were making it with ingredients such as oysters, mussels, mushrooms, walnuts, lemons, celery, plums, and peaches (read the brief history here).

Since then, there hasn’t been a ton of innovation. Sure, we went wild for green and purple EZ squirt ketchup in the early 2000s, and I recently tried a carrot ketchup (wouldn’t recommend), but for the most part it’s either Heinz, or brands that look like Heinz. As someone who has done a lot of user testing prior to launching new packaging designs, I’d guess the heinz-core situation in ketchupland has a lot to do with brands being afraid to stray too far from what consumers know and expect from ketchup. And what they know and expect is a glass bottle filled with a bright red condiment. Or more recently, an upside-down squeeze bottle, because it’s actually quite hard to get ketchup out of those glass ones.

1. Ketchup for the person who doesn’t like to take risks

Have you ever had a ketchup and said gross, this doesn’t taste like ketchup? It probably wasn’t Heinz. Just like how for many of us our baseline ketchup flavor is Heinz, the same goes for packaging. There’s not much happening on the packaging innovation front at Heinz (since the squeeze bottle debuted at least), but they are innovating on different skus to cater to newer consumer tastes. Or in many cases, to push out the competition. RIP Sir Kensington’s ketchup, my favorite ketchup ever.

I’m still a bit in awe that Mayochup, Ketchili and Kranch aren’t April fools stunts.

2. Ketchup for the person who roots for the underdog

When a restaurant carries Hunt’s ketchup I’m disappointed. I don’t like it! I’d probably feel the same way about lot of these if I ever bought them. I certainly wouldn’t be buying them because the design stood out to me on shelf (except for Felix, but it’s a Swedish brand so that doesn’t count). Some of these are organic, but there’s nothing on the bottle or about the bottle that makes me want to choose them over Heinz, even if they cost less. If you’re brand loyal to one of these, please reply to this email because I want to be enlightened.

3. Ketchup for the person who is an ingredient snob and not about to put high fructose corn syrup in their temple

Here’s the thing. No one is doing super design-y ketchup (yet). There is no well-designed “healthier” brand coming for Heinz like Olipop is coming for big soda. But brands are innovating when it comes to ingredients. Many consumers are too smart these days to put HFCS in their bodies, and health trends like paleo, keto, low-fodmap and the like are urging brands to make products that fit within those more restrictive diets. I hope these don’t fade out like Sir Kensington’s did because they can’t compete once Heinz adopts the trend too.

4. Ketchup for the person who would make their own ketchup if they had time

What I’m saying is these all look like they could be sold at that cute general store in that small town next to an artisanal jam or pancake mix. Some of them look more like bottles of hot sauce or pasta sauce to me than ketchup. No present-day Heinz vibes here.

5. Ketchup for the person who always goes to grocery stores in foreign countries to see the cute packaging

Have you been thinking this is the least inspiring issue of this newsletter yet? I don’t disagree. But things are starting to get a bit more visually interesting in the ketchup universe these days. AWSM Sauce even threw out the bottle altogether and sells dry packets of ketchup powder that consumers can mix with water at home and store in a reusable glass jar. I’m curious to see how (or if) other companies follow in their footsteps on the sustainability front. Also, let it be known that three of the below bottles are from brands not based in the US. There’s a reason us packaging enthusiasts like to travel abroad to get inspired.

Packing Peanuts

(Those loose leftover pieces at the bottom of the box)

If you’re the sort who puts ketchup on their ketchup, why not put it on your walls too? Maybe don’t put ketchup on your ketchup if you try this cannabis-infused ketchup. How about a $2,700 sterling silver ketchup sleeve and lid for the ketchup fanatic in your life? Shoutout Ali LaBelle for introducing me to that one. Or better yet, gift them a personalized bottle of Heinz with their name on it. I’ll take an order of spoon friez. How Heinz won the “ketchup war” of the early 1900s. Spoiler alert: Heinz was at the right place, at the right time, with the right product, with good promotion (a tale as old as time). Ed Sheeran might be the most famous Heinz brand loyalist–he even has their label tattooed on his arm. At this point, I’m not surprised people are putting ketchup lip balm on their lips, sipping ketchup soda, toting ketchup handbags, or…using ketchup as a face mask (too far).

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Thanks for reading <3 Have a suggestion for what you want to see covered next? Reply to this email.

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