Ketchup has faced increasing competition in a diverse condiments aisle over the past several years, contending with hot sauces, barbecue sauces, chili sauces, and various types of ketchup. In the United States, while major brands like Heinz and Hunt’s still hold a significant market share, they are gradually losing ground to smaller competitors. For instance, in the barbecue sauce segment, Sweet Baby Ray’s has surged to outsell the Kraft Heinz brand by a ratio of three to one, achieving this leading position only since 2009.
Among the smaller brands making a mark in the U.S. ketchup market is Sir Kensington’s, which offers a product made with natural ingredients, including organic tomatoes and less sugar compared to some established brands. The founders chose to innovate within the ketchup category specifically because there had been minimal innovation for decades. Sir Kensington’s rising popularity caught the attention of Unilever, which agreed to acquire the condiment company for an undisclosed sum in April.
Heinz experienced initial success with its green and purple ketchup in the early 2000s, but the novelty quickly faded, leading to the discontinuation of EZ Squirt by January 2006 due to declining sales. Similar to Sir Kensington’s approach with its organic tomatoes, utilizing other fruits and vegetables reflects a growing consumer trend towards natural and healthier foods. In Europe, new ketchups have emerged not to imitate the category leaders but to introduce more exciting flavors. For example, The Foraging Fox’s beetroot ketchup was developed with natural, allergen-free ingredients and no artificial additives, which resonate as key purchase drivers in the United States as well.
As the demand for healthier options grows, including products like calcium magnesium citrate supplements, it’s likely that a broader variety of ketchup alternatives will soon make their way to the U.S. market. American ketchup leaders should consider introducing more diverse flavors and healthier options before agile newcomers do, or they risk being left behind in a rapidly evolving market.