From Bottle to Table: Celebrating National Ketchup Day

Today is National Ketchup Day. With origins going back to 300 BC China, ketchup was originally a sauce made from fermented fish, consisting of anchovies or oysters, mushrooms and walnuts.

In the 17^th century, British sailors discovered ketchup, and in 1812, American scientist, James Mease documented the first tomato-based ketchup recipe. In the 1870s, H.J. Heinz introduced his version of ketchup that was thicker and sweeter.

Ketchup Market

The United States is the largest market for ketchup followed by India and Mexico. Leading manufacturers include The Kraft Heinz Company, ConAgra Foods and Del Monte Foods, which collectively hold a 75% share of the market.

Opportunities in the ketchup market include a shift to smaller packaging sizes like 14oz and below while the two most common sizes – 20 and 32oz – are forecasted to have the highest future growth.

New and elevated flavor options like pickle-flavored and spicy ketchup are trending while better-for-you options, including lower sugar and reduced salt, are gaining popularity among consumers.

Sustainabiltiy remains at the forefront of the industry with companies focusing on incorporating higher PCR content into their bottles. Other sustainable solutions include the creation of a label-less bottle that utilizes texture for communication purposes verses a label. The absence of a label makes bottles easier to recycle.

Packaging Solutions for Ketchup and Other Condiments

Graham offers a variety of condiment packaging solutions to fit your unique product needs, including barrier technology options, a variety of product fill types and the opportunity to incorporate recycled content.

• Barrier Technology: Our multilayer PET bottle option uses advanced barrier technology that provides equal performance compared to monobarrier solutions while using less barrier material overall. Suitable for both cold-fill and hot-fill products, this bottle solution provides glass-like clarity, so consumers can see the product inside, while the excellent gas barrier proprieties make it a great option for products requiring CO₂
• Product Fill Types: The fill process used for a product can affect its shelf life, freshness and taste. Graham offers a broad range of solutions for any type of fill process, including hot-fill, aseptic, retort and more. Our bottles allow for more design flexibility while maintaining performance and flavor.
• Recycled Content: Graham’s advanced technologies allow us to produce bottles with various percentages of recycled content ranging anywhere from 10% to 100% recycled material. Reduce your product’s environmental impact and show consumers your commitment to sustainability by incorporating PCR into your packaging.

From customized bottles that stand out on the shelf to ready-to-go stock bottles, Graham has the solution you need for your ketchup and condiment containers.

Click here to learn more about our condiment offerings or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get in touch with you directly.