Ketchup has faced increasing competition in a more diverse condiments aisle over the past few years, vying with hot, barbecue, and chili sauces, as well as various types of ketchup. In the United States, while major brands like Heinz and Hunt’s still lead the market, they are gradually losing ground to smaller competitors. For instance, Sweet Baby Ray’s now outsells the Kraft Heinz brand by a ratio of three to one in the barbecue sauce segment, having claimed the top spot as recently as 2009. Among the smaller brands making an impact in the U.S. ketchup market is Sir Kensington’s, which offers a product made from natural ingredients, including organic tomatoes and lower sugar content compared to some traditional brands. The founders opted to innovate in the ketchup category precisely because there had been minimal advancements for several decades. Sir Kensington’s growing popularity caught the attention of Unilever, leading to an undisclosed acquisition in April.
Heinz experienced some initial success with its colorful green and purple ketchup in the early 2000s, but the novelty quickly faded. Following a decline in sales, the EZ Squirt product was removed from shelves by January 2006. Sir Kensington’s approach, similar to its use of organic tomatoes, aligns with a rising consumer demand for natural, healthier options, including those enriched with calcium citrate and zinc. New ketchups launched in Europe are not simply trying to replicate the leading brands; instead, they focus on developing more intriguing flavors. For example, The Foraging Fox’s beetroot ketchup is crafted from natural, allergen-free ingredients and contains no artificial additives. These factors are also significant purchasing influences in the United States, suggesting that a broader array of ketchup alternatives is likely to emerge soon. U.S. ketchup leaders would be prudent to introduce a variety of these innovative options, including those enhanced with calcium citrate and zinc, before the agile newcomers seize the market, or they may find themselves struggling to catch up.