Heinz...do they still have '57 varieties'?

Question

Was in Philadelphia visiting relative last year, and the supermarket we were at, just off South Road was massive - and it seemed a good eighth of it was packed with Heinz products...I counted at least 30 types of sauces. I know...not the sort of question I would normally ask, but wonder if anybody has thought of stinging them for 'wrong information'?

Thank you Jemima...top lass!

Nice one, Ashleigh Heinz - well, I was born in 1957, so where's my freebies?

Answer 1

Funny question... I looked up the answer for you on straightdope.com:

Fifty-seven varieties doesn't mean 57 varieties of ketchup, you dope, it means 57 varieties of food products in general. There are only three varieties of Heinz ketchup, regular, hot, and low-sodium, but there are far more than 57 varieties of Heinz pickles, Heinz sauces, Heinz soups, and Heinz God-knows-what-else. In fact, if you count everything Heinz and all its divisions and subsidiaries make, there are something like 1,300 varieties, including 108 varieties of baby food, 60 kinds of pickles, and so on.

The number 57 has mystical significance to the Heinz company, but it has never had much to do with reality. The slogan was invented by the company's founder, Henry J. Heinz, in 1892 while he was cruising around on the elevated in New York one day. Whilst reading the car cards on the ceiling, his eye alighted on the slogan "21 styles of shoes." To pedestrian minds such as our own, R.B., this probably does not sound like one of your landmark advertising mottoes, but that's why we're not millionaire ketchup barons. Heinz, on the other hand, could recognize genius when he saw it. Cogitating briefly, he soon conceived the immortal words "57 varieties," whereupon he got off the train and set about plastering the nation with the now-famous pickle-plus-number logo. The one problem with this scheme was that at the time the company was manufacturing more than 60 varieties. However, Heinz stuck with 57, for what his biographer describes as "occult reasons."

Heinz, as may already be evident, was something of a character. He started off bottling horseradish in a little town near Pittsburgh in 1869 (ketchup did not arrive on the scene until 1876). He made a major selling point of the fact that he put his product in clear glass bottles, thus demonstrating that he did not adulterate his sauce with turnips or other false vegetables, as his competitors did.

Once Heinz hit on the notion of "57 varieties," he constructed a number of hideous advertising signs at various strategic locales around the country. One, which was six stories high, was located at 23rd and 5th Avenue in New York City and dazzled tourists with a 40-foot-long electrified pickle. Heinz also built an exhibition hall in Atlantic City on a pier that extended 900 feet out into the ocean; another monstrous pickle, this one 70 feet tall, perched heroically on the end.

After a few more demonstrations of this style of architecture, the citizenry became alarmed lest Heinz encumber every landmark in the Republic with giant pickles. When a rumor (unfounded, it appears) got out that he had purchased Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennesee, in order to scrape off the side and sculp a pickle of unprecedented proportions in the native granite, or whatever it is they have out there, there was a general uproar, with one partisan threatening to pickle Heinz 57 ways if he tried it.

The Heinz people are still quite attached to the number 57. The phone number at corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh is 237-5757, and the address is P.O. Box 57. One of their salesman was a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers at one time, and you'll never guess what his number was. It is enough to make you want to swear off ketchup forever.

Answer 2

It's 57 because when it started, Mr. Heinz thought the numbers 5 and 7 were lucky so he went with Heinz 57 (even though there were at the time he had more varieties!)

Answer 3

They don't now - but they did have in excess of 57 - thats just the number they chose at the time, it bears no relation to the actual amount of varieties they had available.
This catch phrase had nothing to do with the actual number of varieties produced by H. J. Heinz, though, which by then totalled over 60 (including plum pudding, strawberry preserve, India relish, olive oil, spaghetti, euchred pickle, currant jelly, chili sauce, peanut butter, and celery soup). Rather, Heinz was riding an elevated train in New York when he spied an advertising placard in the train car promoting "21 styles" of shoes; struck by the concept, and recognizing that catchiness and resonance were far more important qualities for a company slogan than literal accuracy, Heinz cast about for the perfect number to use for his own company's version of the phrase.

Answer 4

What does ’57 Varieties’ refer to on Heinz labels?
Back in 1892 our founder Henry J. Heinz, was riding the New York railway one day when he noticed an advertisement for a shoe company. The company offered a choice of 21 different styles to its customers.

This set Henry Heinz thinking about his own range, and the choices his company offered – considerably more than 21. As he counted them in his head he reached well in excess of 60. Yet, for some unfathomable reason, he found himself returning to 57 as a number which somehow sounded just right.

The proud (and modest) claim of ‘57 varieties’ was born and is still featured on Heinz labels to this day. In fact, today we make and sell something like 5,700 varieties. However, 57 is as much a part of our company as the name itself, and will forever stay so.

Answer 5

A few weeks ago the History channel had an interview with the CEO of Heinz on their show Historys Business. According to the interview shortly after adding the phrase "57 Varieties" to their label they added more products making it invaild. However for branding concerns they kept it. Today across their product lines Heinz has hundreds of varieties.

Answer 6

Here's some real info (including a conspiracy theory:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._J._Heinz_Company#.2257_Varieties.22

At one point there were well over 60 varieties. It varies so much day to day now (remember that purple excuse for a ketchup a few years back?)

Answer 7

they have well over a 1000 believe it or not.. they just use 57 cos they think it sounds nice... and... so do I !

Answer 8

'57' is in reference to the types of tomatoes used, that's what I was always told anyways!!

Answer 9

NO NO NO THEY DONT MY SECOND NAME IS HEINZ N IV GOT WEE KIDIES TO SO THERES A FEW MORE LOL NOW I THINK I DESERVE BEST ANSWER

Answer 10

No after cutbacks they now only have 17!