The Great Idaho Ketchup Shortage

Salsa long ago eclipsed ketchup as America’s number one condiment.  Which is a shame because I can eat ketchup on almost anything.  Salsa only with corn chips.  To me, ketchup is a symbol of the country.  Some people insist the choice is mustard, especially when eating a hot dog.  Ever since I was a kid, I mixed the mustard with the ketchup.

When it comes to fries, the sauce is O.K., but for me, ketchup remains number one.  I like a variety of ketchup but in my house it’s usually Heinz.  I grew up 15 miles from the Pennsylvania state line and Pittsburgh, home to the brand, was a 3 hour drive from home.

I guess I’m not surprised to hear that ketchup packages are a casualty of the pandemic.  Many restaurants switched to mostly or exclusively carry out and passing out big bottles of Heinz doesn’t fit the business model. Restaurants that stayed open decided customers wouldn’t want to share bottles, although.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now says in revised guidance it’s highly unlikely you would contract COVID-19 from a surface.  Most likely, you would get it from aerosol. Someone sneezing or coughing or shouting at you is the main means of transmission.

Heinz is king when it comes to ketchup.  It’s springing into action to ramp up production of individual packets.

This morning I was joking with friends and also said I might invest in aluminum.  More foil packets mean greater demand on the aluminum market.

One last note, if I’m doing carry out, I skip the ketchup.  I could blame trifocals but I always end up wearing the stuff if I try and apply it in a car.