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Hometown and Heinz

8/11/2019

4 Comments

 
​I grew up outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and whenever I feel a little homesick, I just go to my local Australian grocery store. The rows of Heinz products soon remind me of my hometown.
How did the H.J. Heinz company get all the way from Pittsburgh to Australia?

In 1869, using his mother’s recipe, H.J. Heinz started selling bottled horseradish from a pushcart on the streets of Pittsburgh. Other products soon followed, including sauerkraut, vinegar and pickles. Most famously, bottled ketchup and baked beans came a little later.

Those baked beans were Heinz’s entrée to the rest of the world. London’s famous store, Fortnum and Mason, became the first overseas sellers of Heinz products. The Heinz company introduced baked beans to England and marketed them heavily, eventually succeeding in making baked beans a staple of the British diet.

Heinz products came to Australia via American miners working in the goldfields in the 1880s. They shared Heinz foods with their Australian counterparts. Heinz representatives also held in-store demonstrations to introduce unfamiliar products like baked beans or India relish (a sweet mixture of pickles, celery, and spices).

​In 1935, Heinz’ Victoria factory began producing bottled horseradish, followed by baked beans and canned spaghetti.
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​Heinz quickly learned to adapt to local tastes and change their products accordingly. The famous ketchup formula has different variations across the world. 
Heinz also purchased Wattie’s, a venerable New Zealand company, in 1992. 
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​Today, Heinz products are sold in more than 50 countries, including Australia. Traveling around the world can still remind me of my hometown.
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4 Comments
Diane
8/11/2019 11:31:10 pm

Wow, I didn’t realize that there were variations in Heinz Ketchup. Does the Australian version taste different? How can they change perfection? Haha.

Reply
Rose
8/12/2019 05:41:10 pm

I have to admit that I never use ketchup, so I had to consult our daughter on this question. Although Heinz’s website notes that they vary the ketchup recipe for the area of the world, our daughter says she can’t taste a difference. I like mustard, and I couldn’t taste a difference there either. Maybe we just need more educated palates! 😉

Reply
Erin
8/12/2019 10:05:42 am

If I moved across the world I would definitely need to have Heinz products available...glad you can purchase in Australia!

Reply
Rose
8/12/2019 05:42:42 pm

Thanks! It’s funny the things you miss. I too am glad Heinz is here. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!

Reply



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    Rose Ciccarelli is an American writer and editor living in Canberra, Australia.

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