The reason why Heinz ketchup bottles have the number 57 on every bottle

The mystery surrounding the number 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles has been solved.

Lots of us have had the pleasure of tucking into a meal that is even tastier thanks to Heinz's brand of tomato ketchup, and on close inspection of the familiar bottle there is a very clear '57 varieties' label.

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While most people probably haven't dedicated time to dissecting a Heinz ketchup bottle before, the number 57 actually has quite a fascinating meaning behind it.

You may think that the number 57 represents the array of products sold by the company, but Heinz definitely sells more than 57 products and after its Ketchup was first sold in 1876, many more household favourites have followed.

It turns out Heinz founder Henry J Heinz came up with the slogan during a train ride in New York in 1896.

During the train ride Henry saw a sign advertising ’21 styles of shoes’ which resonated with him. Not because he needed new footwear but due to its usage of an odd number.

Heinz - which now manufactures over 5,000 products - had 60 offerings on sale at the time. However, after seeing the sign, Henry thought the number 57 sounded better and the number stuck.

Francis Joseph Dean/Deanpictures/Alamy Stock Photo.

Heinz customers can now find the iconic ’57’ on all of its ketchup bottles - both squeezy and glass ones. 

In other Heinz Ketchup news, the company settled the debate of where the product should be kept in the home - in the fridge or in the cupboard?

One person took to Reddit with this controversial question, explaining: "My girlfriend's family doesn't refrigerate their ketchup. That is all."

To no one's surprise, it caused quite a stir on the website.

"I refrigerate because if the bottle says refrigerate after opening, I'm doing that," one person commented. "But I could see putting them back in the pantry if being cold is not necessary."

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While another said: "The bottle does say for it to be its best, refrigerate after opening."

However not everyone was in agreement, with some Redditors claiming that the best way to enjoy ketchup is when it's warmer or at room temperature.

"My parents never put the ketchup in the fridge I think it's better room temperature," one person declared.

While another Reddit user said: "I never put it in the fridge. I like warm ketchup."

You can find out where to keep your Ketchup here.

Topics: Food and Drink

Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.