Heinz faces ketchup packet shortage in US as delivery, takeaway demands surge amid pandemic
- Heinz faces surge in demand for ketchup packets, driven by ‘accelerated delivery and takeaway trends’
- Ketchup maker working to increase production by 25 per cent to 12 billion sachets a year
Americans may soon have to forgo ketchup on their fries and burgers, with manufacturers struggling to keep up with demand for single-use packets as restaurants heavily turn to takeaway service during the pandemic.
Heinz, whose iconic tomato condiment remains the most widely sold, faced a “surge in demand for ketchup packets driven by the accelerated delivery and takeaway trends,” Kraft Heinz president Steve Cornell said.
The individual packets, which often accompany delivery orders, over the last year have effectively replaced the use of the classic glass or plastic bottles frequently seen on restaurant tables – even in dine-in environments, where customers are wary of touching communal items.
The ketchup giant has already made adjustments to their production processes to keep up with the new situation.
Even so, “demand was greater than supply,” the company said.
In response to that demand, Kraft Heinz said it has added multiple new production lines in its factories which should allow the company to increase manufacturing by 25 per cent – to total 12 billion ketchup sachets produced in a year.