The Reason Heinz Ketchup Bottles Have That '57' On The Label

The "57 varieties" stamped on every Heinz ketchup bottle might seem like a promise of options — but it isn't. It's something you might not have known about Heinz: The number was completely made up. When founder H. J. Heinz coined the slogan in 1896, his company was already producing more than 60 different foods, from horseradish and pickles to vinegar and pepper sauce. Ketchup was still a fairly new addition, introduced 20 years earlier, but Heinz saw a chance to brand it as something distinct — polished, dependable, and memorable.

Heinz had always been a marketing visionary. Before "57," he was already handing out free samples and branded trinkets to build loyalty among shoppers. But the number took his strategy to another level. Within weeks of coming up with the slogan, "57 varieties" appeared everywhere — printed in newspapers and flashing above New York City in one of the nation's first electric billboards. The glowing sign featured a 43-foot pickle and more than a thousand lightbulbs, turning the phrase into an early advertising spectacle.

It didn't matter that there were never 57 varieties — the number simply felt right. And more than a century later, that arbitrary choice still defines one of the most recognizable bottles in the world.

The story of Heinz's "57 varieties" may have started with a lucky guess, but it didn't end there. H.J. Heinz's decision was rooted in instinct more than arithmetic — a number he picked simply because it sounded memorable. The idea struck after he spotted an ad for "21 styles" of shoes, and he liked the way a specific number gave the brand personality. Biographers later noted that seven, in particular, appealed to him for its psychological pull — a number people were naturally drawn to. Another story suggests he combined his own lucky number, five, with his wife Sarah's, seven — a small tribute that became his most enduring symbol.

Decades later, that bit of marketing whimsy evolved into something tangible. The "57" stamped on the neck of Heinz's glass bottles marks the sweet spot for tapping when ketchup refuses to budge. According to the company, hitting the 57 on a Heinz ketchup bottle gets the sauce flowing at just the right pace — about .028 miles per hour, if you're counting.

What began as a random number became the symbol everyone associates with ketchup. Today, the same company that built an empire on "57 varieties" still shapes how people use its product. Heinz decided ketchup actually does belong in the fridge, but the number on the bottle will always belong on the table.