“Strictly Pure”: The Heinz Label
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Today’s shoppers can almost always expect safe, high-quality food products. But in the late nineteenth-century, those characteristics – along with attractive, recognizable packaging – set Heinz products apart from other consumer brands.
Product Label for "Superior Pickles Put Up by Heinz & Noble," 1871
Henry J. Heinz began selling prepared horseradish to nearby grocery stores in 1869, and quickly expanded his product line to include a variety of pickled foods and condiments. To ensure his success among competitors, Heinz based his reputation on superior, consistent products and distinctive packaging. Eye-catching labels attracted customers, and clear glass bottles revealed a high-quality product.
View ArtifactProduct Label for Bottled Horseradish by Heinz & Noble, "Strictly Pure," 1872
Henry J. Heinz began selling prepared horseradish to nearby grocery stores in 1869, and quickly expanded his product line to include a variety of pickled foods and condiments. Heinz based his reputation on superior, consistent products and distinctive packaging. Eye-catching labels attracted and informed customers, and clear glass bottles revealed a high-quality, "strictly pure" product.
View ArtifactProduct Label for Bottled Tomato Catsup by Heinz, Noble & Company, circa 1873
Henry J. Heinz introduced tomato ketchup as one of his first bottled condiments in the 1870s. To ensure his success among competing ketchup manufacturers, Heinz employed innovative product packaging. Eye-catching labels attracted customers, and clear glass bottles revealed a high-quality product. By about 1905, the H.J. Heinz Company had become the largest ketchup producer in the nation.
View ArtifactProduct Label for Celebrated Celery Sauce by Heinz & Noble, "Put Up Expressly for Family Use," 1871
Henry J. Heinz began selling prepared horseradish to nearby grocery stores in 1869, and quickly expanded his product line to include a variety of pickled foods and condiments. To ensure his success among competitors, Heinz based his reputation on superior, consistent products and distinctive packaging. Eye-catching labels attracted customers, and clear glass bottles revealed a high-quality product.
View ArtifactProduct Label for Keystone Brand Tomato Catsup, F. & J. Heinz, "Strictly Pure," 1876-1888
Henry J. Heinz introduced tomato ketchup as one of his first bottled condiments in the 1870s. To ensure his success among competing ketchup manufacturers, Heinz employed innovative product packaging. Eye-catching labels attracted and informed customers, and clear glass bottles revealed a high-quality, "strictly pure" product. By about 1905, the H.J. Heinz Company had become the largest ketchup producer in the nation.
View ArtifactProduct Label for Tomato Catsup by Heinz, Noble & Co., 1872-1873
Henry J. Heinz introduced tomato ketchup as one of his first bottled condiments in the 1870s. To ensure his success among competing ketchup manufacturers, Heinz employed innovative product packaging. Eye-catching labels attracted customers, and clear glass bottles revealed a high-quality product. By about 1905, the H.J. Heinz Company had become the largest ketchup producer in the nation.
View ArtifactProduct Label, "Heinz's Keystone Ketchup," 1883
The H.J. Heinz Company pioneered the concept of prepared and packaged foods and brand name identification. Attractive labels, such as this colorful design for "Heinz's Keystone Ketchup," helped catch the attention of potential customers--hopefully encouraging them to purchase Heinz products rather than those of a competitor.
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