Finally, after 40 years someone did it

[moshquerade]

Re-designed the ketchup packet

Posted: Thursday, 04 February 2010 9:49AM

Heinz Revamps Ketchup Packets

PORTLAND, OR (AP) -- The ketchup packet has been around for more than 40 years, and complaints about it for nearly as long: too messy, too small, too hard to open. Now H.J. Heinz Co. is unveiling the first major packaging change to the to-go condiment.

The new design has a base that's more like a cup for dipping and also a tear-off end for squeezing. It holds three times as much ketchup.

Heinz has long struggled to find a design that did all that that could also be sold cheaply enough.

The company recently made a solution a top priority. It even bought its design team a minivan to give their ideas real road tests.

The new packet is in test markets and will roll out at some fast-food restaurants in the fall.

http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/6286330.php

 

[Arcadio]

This is the best news of 2010 so far. Can't wait to try it...

 

[FoBoT]

looks like it will cost a lot more money than the old one

i see places that offer this version charging $0.10 to $0.25 per unit to cover the higher cost

 

[glenn beck]

when they put ketchup in the upside down bottles, that's when things got real

 

[Miramonti]

Genius. Their top packaging engineer should retire with honors now.

 

[bignateyk]

Fucking finally. I hate having to squeeze like 40 of them to get enough ketchup.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I think part of the increased cost will be offset by decreased quantity. Instead of dropping in 10 packets they'll only need three or four.

 

[trmiv]

That's actually pretty cool.

 

[TecHNooB]

It's completely worthless lolol

 

[ElFenix]

whataburger has put ketchup in little tubs for as long as i can remember

 

[GlacierFreeze]

They need to change mustard packaging. The tough plastic is much more annoying to open than ketchup.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Ive seen something like this before. I think it was Frenches mustard or .... Grey Poupon!

 

[JS80]

FUCK I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A solution for this for the last decade, they beat me to it.

 

[clamum]

Sweet!

 

[ChaoZ]

Genius. I can't believe it took so long.

 

[dainthomas]

What's messed up is that if the guy working for Heinz had invented it on his own, he could've bought his own tropical island with the cash rolling in.

 

[JDub02]

way to go heinz. you just made up for the steelers sucking this past season.

 

[JS80]

What's messed up is that if the guy working for Heinz had invented it on his own, he could've bought his own tropical island with the cash rolling in.

Or he gets promoted to VP of Product Development and gets huge bonuses.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Haha awesome. Wonder why it took so long.

Now watch someone will try to patent it lol.

 

[ElFenix]

What's messed up is that if the guy working for Heinz had invented it on his own, he could've bought his own tropical island with the cash rolling in.

it looks like the same package gu is in. heinz's contribution is that the corner opens.

 

[TheNinja]

"It even bought its design team a minivan to give their ideas real road tests." .....Well $hit...when a company that size buys a team a minivan...you KNOW they are serious!

 

[brblx]

being as i'm not retarded and don't have toe-thumbs, the old packets worked fine for me. ;P

 

[MrPickins]

whataburger has put ketchup in little tubs for as long as i can remember

That was my first thought.

(my second thought was "damn that whataburger ketchup is good!" )

 

[darkxshade]

The thing about the old packets is that some fast food joints leave them out in bins so you can grab as many as you want for your food. With these new ones, they'll probably be left behind the counter and you'd have to ask for them and possibly paying extra for more packets.

 

[Insomniator]

I dunno about the whole tub idea... I feel like just doubling the size of the original packet would be easier... I like when places just have a tub of the packets out to grab.

http://theskinnypig.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/06/29/003_copy.jpg