Shortly after I started producing my Inverted Bottle Holder (standready.biz), Heinz and Hunt both released their "Upsde-Down Ketchup Bottles" almost at the same time (spying on competition?). I recently found this interesting article about those bottles and marketing of them. Enjoy!
Food & Drug Packaging, August 1 2002
I found a couple of very interesting quotes within the article
Heinz brand manager Sue Degnan: "The top consumer complaints about ketchup are how hard it is to get the ketchup out of the bottom of the bottle and dried ketchup mess around the cap." Stating the obvious, No wonder she is a manager!
"The challenge here will be delivering a value that the consumer is willing to pay the premium price for," Brian Hansberry, Heinz's vice president of marketing for ketchup says. PREMIUM price! Yes that is correct. While both brands have lowered price to deceptively match a similar size standard, you still pay more per ounce for the special bottle. Apparently, most consumers are not willing to pay a premium for the special bottle. Shelve space in stores around here is twice as much for standard bottle over special bottle. I have had many of my customers tell that. I think if both Heinz and Hunts had priced these bottles at the same cost per ounce as standard bottle people might have purchased them. Or like many shampoo companies did, get rid of the stardard bottle all together and force consumers to their premium.
Food & Drug Packaging, August 1 2002
I found a couple of very interesting quotes within the article
Heinz brand manager Sue Degnan: "The top consumer complaints about ketchup are how hard it is to get the ketchup out of the bottom of the bottle and dried ketchup mess around the cap." Stating the obvious, No wonder she is a manager!
"The challenge here will be delivering a value that the consumer is willing to pay the premium price for," Brian Hansberry, Heinz's vice president of marketing for ketchup says. PREMIUM price! Yes that is correct. While both brands have lowered price to deceptively match a similar size standard, you still pay more per ounce for the special bottle. Apparently, most consumers are not willing to pay a premium for the special bottle. Shelve space in stores around here is twice as much for standard bottle over special bottle. I have had many of my customers tell that. I think if both Heinz and Hunts had priced these bottles at the same cost per ounce as standard bottle people might have purchased them. Or like many shampoo companies did, get rid of the stardard bottle all together and force consumers to their premium.
