Ketchup manufacturers say Canada in the clear as shortage grips U.S.
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TORONTO, Ontario (CTV Network) — Heinz Ketchup and French’s Ketchup are not experiencing product shortages in Canada as spikes in takeout orders are making ketchup tough to come by across the border.
In the U.S., Heinz has faced “surge in demand for ketchup packets driven by the accelerated delivery and takeout trends,” Kraft Heinz president Steve Cornell told AFP. He said that’s leading to a near-shortage of ketchup packets in the U.S.
In a statement to CTVNews.ca, a spokesperson for Heinz Canada said there is no such shortage looming here in Canada.
“There has definitely been a surge in demand for ketchup packets in Canada driven by accelerated delivery and takeout trends related to the pandemic, but there is currently no shortage,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
“We continue to work with our foodservice operators to ensure their orders are filled in a timely way.”
Heinz Canada added that it has invested in its manufacturing facilities to meet the increased demand.
“We have a longstanding partnership with the restaurant industry, and it’s a responsibility we take very seriously,” the company said. “We’ve made strategic manufacturing investments in capacity for our ketchup packet production lines, and we continue to work hard to keep up with demand.”
In a statement, French’s Ketchup said it expanded its London, Ont. facility before the pandemic and its new capacity is “outpacing” the double-digit growth in demand for the condiment.
“French’s Ketchup supply is stable, both for restaurant use with ketchup packets and at-home use in bottles,” the company wrote in the statement.
“At the beginning and throughout the pandemic, we have proactively increased our supply forecasts in anticipation of the increased demand. In addition, we planned for the restaurant shift from table-top ketchup use to portion-controlled packets for takeout/pickup.”
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