As per Edible Manhattan’s predictions for next year’s food trends — artisanal everything, for starters — you can add to the list of products ketchup packets, at least from Heinz: 12 winning designs of Heinz’s Ketchup Creativity Contest from 2010 have begun to appear on millions of ketchup packets in New York City and beyond, including these four that I recently got with my french fries and grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato at the 3 Decker diner in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. (I like to think the goodly person who packed my order was careful not to give me any doubles of designs.) Heinz has just posted the entry forms for the 2011 contest, too: The URL is ketchupcreativity.com, naturally.
And if 11th grader Synclair K’s portrait of French fry surfing on a ketchup bottle under a tomato-sun (above right) isn’t radical enough for you — Synclair is actually from Overland, KS, which is just two hours from Manhattan, KS and 21 hours away from us — Heinz’s new Dip & Squeeze ketchup containers might change the game entirely. Not only does the Dip & Squeeze hold three times as much ketchup as their traditional packet, it has two separate openings, giving you the option of a subtle squeeze or a balls-to-the-wall dip. Sure, it’s no pizza cone, but that is likely a good thing.
Rolled out earlier this year, I’ve yet to personally see them in the city, but I am sure countless orders of Shake Shack fries are awaiting anxiously. In the meantime, get your children to work on their packet art for the 2011 competition. Extra points from Edible for any drawings that include locally sourced heirloom tomatoes and ketchup canned in recycled Ball jars.
