Episode Details

It sits on restaurant tables, fills supermarket shelves, and accompanies everything from fries to fine dining—but ketchup’s journey to global dominance is far more remarkable than its familiarity suggests. In this episode, we trace the rise of Heinz ketchup, exploring how one condiment transformed from a nineteenth-century innovation into one of the world's most recognizable food brands. From replacing chemically preserved recipes with a cleaner formula to building consumer trust through transparent packaging and relentless marketing, we examine the decisions that turned a simple tomato sauce into an enduring cultural icon. Along the way, we uncover the surprising history of ketchup itself—from its origins as an ancient Asian fish-based seasoning to the carefully engineered balance of sweet and tangy flavors that defines it today. The story reveals how taste, science, and branding combined to create a product so ubiquitous that it became the standard against which all others are measured.

https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/07/02/heinz-tomato-ketchup-and-the-sweet-taste-of-market-dominance