Wednesday, August 2, 2017

What does Heinz 57 mean?

Heinz 57 is an advertising slogan used by the H. J. Heinz Company, most famously known for their ketchup products. It was first introduced by the company's founder Henry J. Heinz in 1896 as "57 Pickle Varieties", and was inspired by a subway advertisement for a shoe store that boasted "21 styles." The origin of the number 57 is unclear, but the most popular theory is that it was chosen because Heinz believed 5 is his lucky number, and 7 is his wife's lucky number. Despite popular belief, 57 does not stand for the number of products Heinz sold, as they were already selling more than 60 different products at that time. The name "Heinz 57" is currently used for a steak sauce they sell. Prior to 1940, the Heinz 57 steak sauce was sold under the name "Beefsteak Sauce."

Heinz 57 is also used as a slang word, and refers to a person with a mixed background, or a dog that is of mixed breeds.