The real reason behind ‘57 varieties’ Heinz label revealed

A hidden meaning in the label of one well-known ketchup brand has surprised social media, with many offering their idea behind the number.

Heinz sauce bottles contain a “57 varieties” label on the bottle, with many speculating what it could mean.

Some guessed it was because the company was founded in a year ending with 57, others speculated it was how many tomatoes were in each bottle and others joked it had to do with the rising cost of living.

One person guessed that the placement had to do with it being the best place to squeeze the sauce out of the bottle.

But, now, the meaning behind it has been revealed, with a spokesman for the company revealing just why the number was chosen.

“The ‘57 varieties’ label on the neck of Heinz Tomato Ketchup was surprisingly selected at random by founder Henry Heinz,” Andrea Payne, head of marketing and taste elevation for Heinz ANZ, told news.com.au.

“Although the number itself technically has no real purpose, and even back then there were more than 57 varieties, the number has stuck around for over 100 years of Heinz branding, making it synonymous with the Heinz brand.

“Brands evolve so much over time – it’s nice to see small nods to the original packaging and story.”

The need for a number logo came after Heinz spotted a shoe company advertising 21 styles of shoes.

On the Heinz UK website it states that five was Heinz’s lucky number and seven was his wife’s lucky number.

He also believed that seven was a significant number for people of all ages.

At this point in time, the company already had more that 60 products to its range.

The idea about the placement of the number being crucial to accessing the product wasn’t too far off the truth either.

A spokesperson from the company responsible for everything from sauce, to soup and baked beans told TODAY food: “The sweet spot to tap on the Heinz bottle is the 57 on the neck.”

“All you need to do is apply a firm tap where the bottle narrows, and the ketchup will come out easier.”