A Big Change Could Be Coming To Your Ketchup Bottle

Heinz has announced that they are working on a new design for their ketchup bottles as a part of their ongoing campaign to release more eco-friendly packaging. In a press release, the company stated that it would be working with sustainable packaging technology company Pulpex Limited to design a bottle made from sustainably harvested wood pulp. There was no mention of whether this new design would help get the last of the ketchup out of the bottle more easily, but it did say the new packaging should be completely recyclable and renewable.

Kraft Heinz says they expect the bottle to have a smaller carbon footprint than plastic or glass counterparts, and be accepted in all paper waste streams for recycling. There was no scheduled release date given for the new bottles. Prototypes of the new packaging need to be produced and are slated for early prototype testing then consumer testing, and finally a global release.

"We hope to bring this bottle to market and to be the first sauce brand to provide consumers this choice in their purchasing decisions, as many consumers today are looking for more sustainable packaging options. We're eager to continue discovering more sustainable packaging for our beloved and iconic brands," said Rashida La Lande, EVP & Global General Counsel and Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer for Kraft Heinz.

The company says that this new packaging is a significant step in meeting its goal of making all packaging globally recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025.

New eco-friendly packaging

The bottle's new shape seems to harken back to the iconic glass design the company used before the debut of squeeze bottles in 1983 (via the New York Times). It's decorated with graphic red tomatoes over a plain brown background. The prototype is also decorated with the iconic keystone logo and an embossed 57. The logo represents its roots as a Pennsylvania-born company while the 57 stands for the 57 varieties of sauces sold by the company's founder H.J. Heinz, even though he sold more than 57 when he coined the slogan (via PennLive).

Today, the Kraft Heinz company sells far beyond 57 varieties of condiments and foods across the globe, according to their press release, and the company launched a new line of pasta sauces in the United Kingdom this past February. In the states, their ketchup is used by more than 197 million Americans, making it the most popular in the United States (via Statista). Whether it's kept around for barbecues or cleaning copper pots, Heinz ketchup has a home in the kitchen of most Americans.