Heinz Introduces Purple Ketchup

P I T T S B U R G H, July 31, 2001 -- Heinz is adding "Funky Purple" to its crayon box of condiment colors.

The company, hoping to build on last year's success with "Blastin' Green" ketchup, said today the new purple ketchup will be on store shelves in September.

In seven months, H.J. Heinz Co. sold more than 10 millionbottles of green ketchup, pushing up total sales by 5.4 percent andhelping the Pittsburgh company boost its share of the Americanketchup market to 59 percent from 55 percent immediately prior togreen ketchup, spokesman Michael Mullen said.

With the marketing campaign aimed squarely at children, thegreen ketchup came in a new EZ Squirt plastic squeeze bottle,specially designed with a narrow nozzle to let kids paint theirfood with precision.

"We knew we had a good idea on our hands. Otherwise, wewouldn't have launched it," said Brendan Foley, general manager ofglobal condiments and sauces for Heinz. "But the momentum itbuilt, the frenzy we saw, I don't know we expected that."

Heinz promises the ketchup keeps the company's signature tasteand recipe, with a little Blue No. 1 and Red No. 3 thrown in toshade the condiment. The company still makes its traditional red.

Next month, kids armed with Heinz EZ Squirt bottles will be ableto draw Harry Potter lightning bolts on hot dogs and renderings ofa certain big purple dinosaur on hamburgers.

"Purple is one of the hottest colors for kids right now. In anera when kids can't get enough monsters and wizards, the bold,powerful, color purple has reached new heights of popularity,"said Jay de Sibour, president of the Color Marketing Group, anot-for-profit international association of designers. "It'sconsistently a kid favorite."