Difference between Heinz and Hunts
When it comes to ketchup, two brands consistently make their way onto plates all over the country: Heinz and Hunts. Known equally well for their flavors as well as for their distinctive branding and marketing, these two giants of the condiments world are compared in this article.
Profile
Heinz is a tomato ketchup brand produced by the H. J. Heinz Company. This is the biggest selling product of the company all over the world. First produced in 1876, Heinz is still the company’s top seller. Worldwide export of the product began in 1907, when 12 million bottles were produced every year. Heinz was then and is now exported to Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the U.K among other countries. It is estimated that over 650 million bottles of Heinz Tomato Ketchup are sold all over the world every year.
Hunts ketchup is produced by the Hunt Brothers Fruit Packing Company, which was founded in 1890 in California by brothers Joseph and William Hunt. Ketchup wasn't the company’s first product however, and it was actually tomato sauce that gave the company its initial attention. In the wake of the widespread popularity of the company’s tomato sauce packaged into distinctive red cans, Hunts expanded its line to include spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce, and, ketchup.
Ingredients/Nutritional Content
Both Heinz and Hunts ketchup contain 15 calories and 4 grams of sugar in every tablespoon. On the plus side, both products do not contain trans fat or cholesterol, but they do not contain dietary fiber either. Both products differ in their other ingredients however. Heinz ketchup has slightly higher sodium content, with 190 milligrams versus Hunts’ 180 milligrams. That being said, Heinz provides 2% of your Vitamin A daily recommended allowance, while Hunts does not contain any Vitamin A at all.
Both brands claim to be made from "all natural vine-ripened" tomatoes, but Hunts does not provide information on its lycopene content. Heinz ketchup on the other hand prints its lycopene content right on the label, and it apparently has 1.5 mg per serving of the essential ingredient.
Taste
Regardless of nutritional content, taste is really what matter when it comes down to it. According to a survey done by Cook's Illustrated magazine in 2006, Hunts was consistently favored over Heinz in blind tests. Many participants thought that Heinz was too sweet, with some pronouncing it too bland. On the other hand, many testers described Hunts as "tangy" and "fresh-tasting". That being said, Heinz's organic ketchup received generally better marks than both regular Heinz and regular Hunts ketchup.
Similarities and Differences:
Heinz
- The biggest selling product of the Heinz company the world over
- Over 650 million bottles are sold all over the world every year
- Provides 2% of your Vitamin A daily recommended allowance
- Organic Ketchup was an instant favorite
Hunts
- Produced by the Hunt Brothers Fruit Packing Company
- Has slightly less sodium than Heinz
- Described by many testers as "tangy" and "fresh-tasting"
