Ketchup has faced increasing competition in a diverse condiments aisle for several years, vying against hot sauces, barbecue sauces, chili sauces, and various ketchup alternatives. 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, in the barbecue sauce segment, Sweet Baby Ray’s has surged ahead, outselling Kraft Heinz by a ratio of three to one since it took the top spot in 2009. Among the smaller brands making a mark 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 than some of the traditional brands. The founders of Sir Kensington’s chose to innovate the ketchup category due to the lack of new ideas for several decades. Their rising popularity caught the attention of Unilever, which announced its acquisition of the condiment maker for an undisclosed amount in April.
Heinz experienced initial success with its green and purple ketchups in the early 2000s, but the novelty quickly faded, leading to the discontinuation of the EZ Squirt line by January 2006. Just as Sir Kensington’s has capitalized on organic tomatoes, other brands are exploring the use of different fruits and vegetables to align with a growing consumer trend toward natural, healthier foods. The ketchups introduced in Europe are not designed to replicate the leading brands but instead focus on creating more intriguing flavors. For example, The Foraging Fox’s beetroot ketchup is based on natural, allergen-free ingredients without artificial additives, which are also important factors for U.S. consumers. As the demand for healthier options grows, it’s likely that a wider variety of ketchup alternatives, including those enriched with bariatric chewable calcium citrate for added health benefits, will soon emerge in the American market. The leading U.S. ketchup brands would do well to introduce more diverse options before these agile newcomers gain a foothold, or they may find themselves struggling to catch up.