When video footage from a ketchup plant outside Cairo, Egypt went viral, Heinz quickly launched a PR campaign to cover their tracks. In the clip, footage demonstrates that rotten tomatoes are used at the plant to manufacture the world’s most popular ketchup brand.
In the short clip which is circulating the globe as you read this, one man stands on top an open box of tomato as he hurls the rotten food into the processing line.
After reviewing the footage, Heinz Egypt did not deny that the footage was filmed at their location. But the firm did claim that the “edited” video portrayed an “unreal picture.” But watch the clip and be the judge for yourself.
Heinz tried to get out in front of this public relations disaster by releasing a statement. But now consumers in American and around the world are questioning whether Heinz can be trusted to provide quality food.
It said in a statement: “The edited footage shows an unreal picture and neglects the processing stages, hence gives the wrong impression. t is important for everyone to know that we use only healthy tomatoes, all of which are processed using industry-best standards. As always, we remain 100 percent committed to the cleanliness and quality of our tomatoes and the safety of our consumers.”
Customers in Egypt are furious. They claim that Heinz did not dispel their fears. Now they cannot trust the ketchup brand.
Heinz has been challenged to create their own video demonstrating how the famous condiment is created.
Heinz UK was contacted by MailOnline and released the following statement:
“Safety and quality of our foods is always our first priority. We are aware of recent TV programme and following social media posts making unfounded allegations about the Heinz manufacturing facility in Egypt.
“We can reassure consumers that the pictures linked to this story do not represent our factory in a truthful way and do not represent the exacting quality standards we follow during our production process. Consumers can continue to enjoy Heinz products in complete confidence.”
Heinz Egypt was created 25-years ago and owns 75 percent of the ketchup market share in the country, The New Arab reported.
Here are more thoughts from people reading MailOnline:
“Of course they are rotten, otherwise they would be sold fresh to someone else. Fruit jam uses mouldy fruit too. I worked in a jam factory-good ones were sold frozen and mouldy went in the archimedes screw fro jam pulp. What do people expect?”
“I lived and worked in Egypt for a long time and this does not surprise me at all, it is a must that any company has an ex-pat in just about every department to ensure the safety, standard and quality of what they produce. There are a few very good local Egyptian workers to be employed but the hard task is to find them!!!”
Will you trust Heinz Ketchup anymore?
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