在过去150年里，人们的饮食习惯发生了巨大变化，但亨氏番茄酱（Heinz tomato ketchup）自1876年上架以来，始终是人们餐桌上的主食。如今，亨氏每年售出超过6.5亿瓶番茄酱，这意味着每分钟就有1200多瓶番茄酱被放入购物篮。其工厂每天加工的番茄量足以填满一个奥运会标准游泳池。亨氏番茄酱的无处不在，既源于其独特的风味，也是其营销策略的巨大胜利。

番茄酱的历史可以追溯到亚洲的一种发酵鱼酱“ke-tsiap”，英国和荷兰商人在17世纪晚期接触到了这种酱料。到了19世纪初，美国人开始食用番茄酱，但早期的酱汁易于变质，一些厂商会使用有色瓶子掩盖霉菌，并添加防腐剂。为了满足人们对健康食品的需求，亨氏开发出了一种不添加防腐剂、利用熟透番茄和醋来防霉的番茄酱，并使用透明玻璃瓶包装以彰显其高品质。

亨氏番茄酱以其甜味、鲜味与酸味的完美平衡而闻名，不仅适合搭配咸食和解腻，还能用于咖喱或鱼类料理。它不仅承载着人们童年舒适食物的记忆，也通过持久的营销策略巩固了其全球知名度。YouGov 的民调显示，100%的英国人和97%的美国人都知道亨氏品牌，这使得许多消费者即使面对众多更便宜或手工制作的替代品，仍然坚信“必须是亨氏”。

While eating habits have changed dramatically over the past 150 years, Heinz tomato ketchup has remained a staple since it first hit shelves in 1876. Today, Heinz sells over 650 million bottles of ketchup every year, meaning that more than 1,200 bottles land in shopping baskets every single minute. The company's factories process enough tomatoes daily to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The ubiquity of this condiment is partly a matter of taste and partly a triumph of persistent marketing.

The history of ketchup likely derives from "ke-tsiap," an Asian fermented fish sauce encountered by British and Dutch traders in the late 17th century. By the early 19th century, Americans developed a taste for tomato ketchup, but early versions spoiled easily, prompting manufacturers to use colored bottles to hide mold and add chemical preservatives. Heinz revolutionized this by developing a preservative-free recipe using ripe tomatoes and vinegar, selling it in clear glass bottles to signal its cleanliness and superior quality.

Heinz ketchup is celebrated for its perfect balance of sweet, umami, and tangy flavors, pairing well with salty foods and cutting through grease. Associated closely with childhood comfort foods, the brand has entrenched its position through marketing: a YouGov poll shows that 100% of Britons and 97% of Americans recognize the Heinz name. By successfully branding itself as the default ketchup, Heinz has ensured that many shoppers, when faced with cheaper or artisanal alternatives, still believe "It has to be Heinz."

Source: Heinz tomato ketchup and the sweet taste of market dominance

Subtitle: The condiment that conquered the world was created 150 years ago

Dateline: Jul 02, 2026 06:22 AM