Does the number ‘57’ on the Heinz bottle mean anything? (2024)
The term “57 varieties” has proudly appeared on Heinz bottles for over a century, but that number apparently has nothing to do with the brand. HUH?!
Like many other people, we were always under the assumption that “57 varieties” meant that the brand offered 57 varieties of condiments. Seems logical, right? But a new CNN article reveals that “57 varieties” is more of a catchphrase, if anything.
According to CNN, there weren’t 57 Heinz varieties when H.J. Heinz first came up with the slogan in 1896. Even now, 126 years later, there are hundreds of varieties. So why has the brand kept the number on its bottles for so long?
Heinz Brand Director Ashleigh Gibson offered some insight to TODAY Food.
"At the time, there were 60 products being sold, but he thought there was something mystical, magical, and memorable about 57," she said in an email statement. "He said he chose '5' because it was his lucky number, and '7' because it was his wife’s lucky number. It has been '57' ever since."
According to CNN, Heinz visited New York City in 1986 and saw an advertisem*nt for “21 styles” of shoes, and thought the odd number did a good job of grabbing people’s attention.
In a biography about her boss, Heinz’s personal secretary once suggested that the number seven particularly appealed to the brand’s founder.
“Seven, seven — there are so many illustrations of the psychological influences of that figure and of its alluring significance to people of all ages and races,” the biography reported that Heinz once said. “58 Varieties or 59 Varieties did not appeal at all to me as being equally strong.”
The number “57” has become synonymous with the Heinz brand over the last century, but Heinz wasn’t expecting it to take off so quickly.
“I myself did not realize how highly successful a slogan it was going to be,” Heinz once wrote in his diary, as reported by CNN.
The number isn’t just featured on Heinz ketchup; it also appears on the brand’s mustard, mayonnaise, baked beans and cream of tomato soup.
Much like the Heinz logo, the "57 varieties" mark has become a way for customers to recognize the brand and it's really nostalgic for fans of the company.
"Our '57' mark is part of our proud heritage. Originally, it appeared locked up with a pickle graphic, but it has evolved over time to more effectively reflect our product portfolio and become a brand asset in its own right — much like the Heinz logo, keystone and our iconic glass bottle," Gibson told TODAY.
Chrissy Callahan covers a range of topics for TODAY.com, including fashion, beauty, pop culture and food. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, watching bad reality TV and consuming copious amounts of cookiedough.
Heinz 57 is a synecdoche of the historical advertising slogan "57 Varieties" by the H. J. Heinz Company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It was developed from the marketing campaign that told consumers about the numerous products available from the Heinz company.
' label represents the variety of products that Heinz has, but the number was actually selected at random by founder Henry Heinz himself. He didn't have 57 varieties when the brand began. Instead, it was a clever way to create authenticity and attract customers.
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. However, 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".
Heinz 57 (countable and uncountable, plural Heinz 57s) (US, humorous, informal, also attributive) (countable) A thing comprising parts from many different sources; a complete mix; a hodgepodge, a mishmash.
Slang terms are also common. Heinz 57, Heinz, or Heinz Hound is often used for dogs of uncertain ancestry, in a playful reference to the "57 Varieties" slogan of the H. J. Heinz Company. In some countries, such as Australia, bitsa (or bitzer) is sometimes used, meaning "bits o' this, bits o' that".
When you see angel number 57, it is a sign that the universe is supporting you in your endeavors. You are being encouraged to trust your intuition and follow your inner guidance. Your guardian angels want you to know that you have the power within you to manifest your desires and create positive change in your life.
Ashleigh Gibson, Heinz's brand director, said in an email that the company's founder felt there was something “mystical, magical, and memorable” about the number 57, which was a combination of five, his lucky number, and seven, his wife's lucky number.
The '57 varieties' label represents the variety of products that Heinz has, but the number was actually selected at random by founder Henry Heinz himself. He didn't have 57 varieties when the brand began. Instead, it was a clever way to create authenticity and attract customers.
So, what's the trick? “The sweet spot to tap on the Heinz bottle is the 57 on the neck,” a Heinz spokesperson explained to TODAY Food. “All you need to do is apply a firm tap where the bottle narrows, and the ketchup will come out easier.”
Here's something NOT everyone knows: The famous 57, in “Heinz 57”, doesn't mean anything. It's not a year, or several ingredients or “varieties.” Andrea Payne, the head of marketing at Heinz, says, “The '57 varieties' label was surprisingly selected at random by founder Henry Heinz in 1896.
The 'F' in F1, F1b and F2 stands for 'filial', which means the offspring of a cross. If two separate breeds are bred, such as a Pug and a Jack Russell, then the puppies are known as an F1 cross. If two F1 dogs are bred together, their puppies are known as an F2 cross.
The PC term would be “of mixed heritage”. Heinz 57 is just a metaphor for diversity because Heinz bragged about having 57 varieties or flavors (of ketchup or a similar sauce) in many ads.
Heinz's brand director, Ashleigh Gibson, told CNN that the company's founder settled on the number 57 because it was “mystical, magical and memorable” — a combination of his own lucky number (5) and his wife's (7).
Facebook user Karl Oldman directed the poster to an X (formerly Twitter) post about that exact subject. In 2015, Heinz revealed in the post that “the numbers on the sachets relates to the filling line which the sachet was filled on.
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