This is why the number 57 is on every Heinz Ketchup bottle

Virgin Radio

6 Sep 2022, 15:32

Have you ever wondered if there's a reason why the number 57 is on each and every bottle of Heinz ketchup?

Now you have the answer!

On the label, it mentions '57 varieties', which you might have noticed if scanning the bottle while cooking dinner.

Many people assume it means there are 57 different herbs and spices, or even 57 different types of tomato in Heinz ketchup.

It has been revealed that Heinz founder Henry J Heinz had the idea when he was on a train in New York in 1896.

He saw a sign advertising ’21 styles of shoes’, and liked the usage of an odd number.

Heinz now has a whopping 5,000 different products.

However, at the time Heinz saw the sign, they were offering 60 products.

Henry decided the number 57 sounded better, and it became part of their branding and has stuck ever since.

You can find it on all bottles and cans, not just ketchup.

There was recent news that some bottles will be changed for paper ones instead of plastic.

Heinz also settled an age old debate of whether ketchup should be kept in the fridge.

One person asked on Reddit: "My girlfriend's family doesn't refrigerate their ketchup. That is all."

Another argued: "I refrigerate because if the bottle says refrigerate after opening, I'm doing that, but I could see putting them back in the pantry if being cold is not necessary."

Someone agreed: "The bottle does say for it to be its best, refrigerate after opening."

Heinz themselves advise: "Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup is shelf-stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening," they said.

Fans have also been going mad for baked bean hash browns.