Heinz - HK | Vinegar History

When Henry J. Heinz founded his Company in late 1869, among his product line of pure, quality products were horseradish, pickles, and various sauces. The Company also manufactured vinegar to preserve the appearance and flavor of its processed pickles and other condiments. Soon thereafter, Heinz became the country's first manufacturer to package vinegar in individual bottles for home use. Vinegar was also a necessary ingredient in the making of Heinz Ketchup, first introduced in 1876.

“Cleanliness, purity and wholesomeness – the secret of H.J Heinz Company's great success in making vinegar." According to a 1901 H.J. Heinz Company employee newspaper.

In the early 1880's, Heinz packaged its vinegar in the ever popular "paneled" bottle, with a Keystone label and a guarantee of pure, natural vinegar on the label. Vinegars were also sold to grocers in paraffin-lined oak casks. Each cask carried an end label guaranteeing the quality of the vinegar and listing numerous awards.

In the early 1900's, Heinz sales representatives held samplings in many grocery stores on Saturdays. Homemakers tasted various types of vinegars -White, Apple Cider, Pickling, Wine and Malt - and selected the variety they would buy. At the same time, many homemakers tasted commercially processed vinegar for the first time.

Today, as one of the world's largest and oldest producers of vinegar, Heinz continues the tradition of processing high quality vinegar for consumers who expect the best for their cooking and pickling needs. Sourced from corn and apples, Heinz Vinegar always delivers consistent, good-tasting flavors for the foods you love to eat! Heinz manufactures more than 7.5 million gallons of vinegar annually to supply American households with its popular and versatile food product.