Oct. 11: Henry J. Heinz was born on this day in 1844; here’s a tip for ketchup flow

We suspect there's hardly a kitchen in America these days that doesn't have the condiment, but Henry J. Heinz's company didn't come out with ketchup until seven years after being founded. The first Heinz product was horseradish, made with his mom's recipe and "sold in clear bottles to prove that, unlike some foods, it was totally unadulterated."

Heinz was born 169 years ago, on Oct. 11, 1844, and he started his company in 1869. So how did the number 57 become so important? And "57 varieties" of what, anyway?

Turns out the phrase "57 varieties" was inspired by a sign he'd seen advertising 21 styles of shoes. The idea of quantifying a claim appealed to his now-renowned marketing instincts, so he picked what he considered a lucky number to indicate how many products his company made. He was actually understating his output; he already manufactured more than five dozen products.

He died in 1919, 50 years after starting his first company. His management style is said to have made his company "a pioneer in labor relations": Among worker perks were free manicures and rooftop gardens.

To cap off our mini-tribute to Heinz, here's a little ketchup tip courtesy of his company: The best way to get the ketchup out of the bottle is to "apply a firm tap to the sweet spot on the neck of the bottle -- the '57.'"

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