The H.J. Heinz Company is an American food processing company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by Henry J. Heinz (1844-1919) in 1869.

Today, Heinz manufactures thousands of food products in plants on six continents, and markets those products in over 200 countries. Most manufacturers must start with a single product; in the case of Heinz, that product was horseradish.

Heinz’s first product, grated horseradish, was a strong seller. An even better seller turned out to be “evaporated horseradish”, which had a much longer shelf life. Bottled in clear glass, and based on his mother’s recipe, it was initially made by young Heinz in the basement. By 1895, Heinz was the undisputed king of evaporated horseradish, giving them the boost they needed to become a major American business and processed foods pioneer.

In addition to horseradish, Heinz began producing several other condiments and toppings, including vinegars, pickles and relish.

Homemade ketchup became popular in the US in the 1800s, but the preparation was costly and time-consuming. Heinz ketchup (initially introduced as “Catsup” in 1876), was one of many new products that saved considerable time for home cooks, and it became extremely popular by 1908.

Heinz introduced the marketing slogan "57 pickle Varieties" in 1896, in conjunction with their pickles. By 1940, the term was so synonymous with the company that the name was used to market steak sauce.

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