Pandemic effect, America running out of ketchup

NEW YORK - After toilet paper, flour, disinfectants, the United States is now running out of ketchup.

The Wall Street Journal writes, especially the single-serving sachets, since with restaurants open only for take-away food or for home delivery it is no longer possible to use the condiment in bottles at the tables.

At the same time, with people forced to stay at home, the consumption of ketchup bottles has increased.

The boom in demand has also cornered the main red sauce producer, Heinz.

Although the multinational has control of 70% of the ketchup market, it was nevertheless not prepared for the pandemic and to meet the demands it decided to open two new factories in order to increase production by 25%.

Also according to what the WSJ writes, the tomato-based sauce is the most consumed on the tables of restaurants in the USA.

Last year 300,000 tons were produced.

The numbers increase further when it comes to domestic consumption, in that sector sales exceeded one billion dollars in 2020, equal to 15% more than in 2019.