thumb|H. J. Heinz Company marketing material

thumb|A circa-late-19th-century [[wikt:trade card|trade card advertising the H. J. Heinz Company's baked beans with tomato sauce. The card bears the slogan "Altogether 57 Varieties of Pure Food Products".]]

thumb|A modern Heinz ketchup bottle, with the number "57" molded into it

Heinz 57 is a steak sauce. Its name comes from the historical advertising slogan "57 Varieties" by the H. J. Heinz Company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It was developed as part of a marketing campaign that told consumers about the numerous products available from the Heinz company.

History

thumb|left|Heinz convention in Montreal in 1940 prominently featuring "57"

Henry J. Heinz introduced the marketing slogan "57 pickle Varieties" in 1896. He later claimed he was inspired by an advertisement he saw while riding an elevated train in New York City (a shoe store boasting "21 styles"). The reason for "57" is unclear. Heinz said he chose "5" because it was his lucky number and the number "7" was his wife's lucky number. Heinz also said the number "7" was selected specifically because of the "psychological influence of that figure and of its enduring significance to people of all ages". When the slogan was created the Heinz company was already selling more than 60 products.

The first product to be promoted under the new "57 varieties" slogan was prepared horseradish. By 1940, the term "Heinz 57" had become so synonymous with the company the name was used to market a steak sauce. Prior to that Heinz had sold a “Beefsteak Sauce“.

Description

Heinz 57 Sauce has what amounts to a ketchup base, fortified with malt vinegar, and seasoned with mustard, raisin, apple, garlic, onion, and other flavors.

Its ingredient list includes tomato purée (water, tomato paste), high fructose corn syrup, distilled white vinegar, malt vinegar (contains barley), salt, less than 2% of modified food starch, raisin juice concentrate, mustard flour, soybean oil, turmeric, spices, apple purée, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), caramel color, garlic powder, onion powder, and natural flavors.

In UK betting terminology, a 'Heinz' refers to a full-cover bet of doubles and upwards, consisting of six selections. It is known as a Heinz because there are 57 multiples (15 doubles, 20 trebles, 15 fourfolds, 6 fivefolds and 1 sixfold) within the bet.

When Pittsburgh-based Heinz purchased the naming rights of Heinz Field in 2001, they signed a deal to pay the Pittsburgh Steelers $57 million until 2021.

Former NHL player Steve Heinze requested to wear #57 when he was drafted by the Boston Bruins. Bruins general manager Harry Sinden denied his request, stating that only captain Ray Bourque (#77) could wear an unorthodox number. Instead, Heinze wore #23 in Boston. He was granted #57 when he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets and wore the number for the remainder of his NHL career.

References

  • The story of "57 Varieties"
  • "Heinz Fun Facts" Wayback Machine Archive