Ketchup's Big Moment

For decades, Heinz has dominated the ketchup market. And while the brand has introduced versions tweaked with balsamic vinegar or chili spice, it’s the classic version that dominates kitchen tables and children’s palates around the world. But as Star feature writer Jennifer Wells reveals in her new Star Dispatches ebook, Ketchup’s Big Moment: Our Top Condiment Goes Upscale, the kiddification of ketchup is now under serious assault, with much smaller companies following the lead of mustard and introducing high-end, gourmet-friendly varieties. Is the threat to Heinz, which is exiting Leamington, Ont., after a century of making ketchup there, a serious one? Is the red stuff going the way of Grey Poupon?