Heinz (company)

H. J. Heinz is an American agri-food company also known simply as "Heinz", famous for its motto "57 varieties" of salsa. It is a subsidiary of Kraft Heinz; produces sauces of all kinds, among which sauce 57, better known as ketchup, stands out. Heinz also markets condiments, pastas, canned soups, salads, ready meals, juices and children's foods.

Heinz is a multinational that has food processing industries in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and China. Its products are present in markets around the world under different brands in addition to the Heinz brand.

Ketchup, invented by the company itself, is its most famous product, being an essential ingredient for hamburgers in American fast food restaurants such as McDonald's and Burger King.

History

The company was founded in 1869 by Henry John Heinz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Heinz, then 25 years old, began delivering processed condiments to local grocers in horse-drawn carts. The company's first product was horseradish, followed by pickles, sauerkraut, and vinegar.

The company was initially named the Anchor Pickle and Vinegar Works, after the vinegar they produced, and was run by Heinz and his partner L. C. Nobla. The name changed to Heinz, Noble & Company in 1872 and the company was moved again to Pittsburgh.

After certain speculative banking activities spread panic, the company declared bankruptcy in 1875, Heinz restarted his business with the help of his brother John and his cousin Frederick, the following year he introduced what became his most popular product. Known: ketchup tomato sauce. The new company was known at the time as F. and J. Heinz until 1888, when Henry bought the shares controlled by his brother and gave the business his current name.

In the 1940s, the company acquired a canned food factory called "Gutiérrez, Madrazo y Cía., canned foods, sweets and preserves" located in the Municipality of Rafael Lara Grajales in the State of Puebla, Mexico. By purchasing this Mexican company, although Spanish-owned, he also acquired a new formula for his famous tomato sauce. Years later, in the 1970s, Heinz sold this factory that currently operates under the name “Productos Alimenticios La Morena S.A.”.

On March 25, 2015, Kraft Foods Group Inc. announced that it would merge with H. J. Heinz Company, owned by 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway Inc., to form the world's fifth-largest food and beverage company. companies completed the merger on July 2, 2015.