Food - News
The Real Reason Heinz EZ Squirt Ketchup Disappeared
By BEN FISHER
In October 2000, Heinz introduced the artificially-colored ketchup known as EZ Squirt ketchup, with a glue bottle-like nozzle that allowed the user to squirt a colorful concoction on foods. The brightly-colored and easy-to-squirt solution was a hit with kids and parents alike, and the exciting array of colors included green, blue, purple, and a mystery color.
The initial success of the product was massive — the company had sold the annual target of bottles within the first three months. Although Heinz sold 25 million bottles of the colorful liquid from 2000 to 2003, the craze for the product wore off soon, and it was ultimately discontinued in 2006.
With time, consumers became more health-conscious, and multiple countries banned or restricted artificial food dyes — a possible factor in EZ Squirt’s declining popularity. Except for a partnership with Burger King for the limited release of green ketchup in 2012 for St. Patrick’s Day, Heinz hasn’t made any noise about reviving the product in a meaningful way.