Edmonton

Edmonton AM dips into the great ketchup debate

French’s and Heinz ketchup, Edmonton AM takes a bite out of the debate.

CBC morning show takes part in the red sauce rumble

Ketchup taste test: French's vs. Heinz

9 years ago
Duration 2:09
On Edmonton Am, hosts Mark Connolly and Garrette McGowan are joined by local chefs to taste the difference between French's and Heinz ketchup.

A debate over the merits of Canadian-grown tomatoes has some ketchup consumers seeing red.

​Loblaw's recently pulled French's Ketchup from its shelves. Then, after a patriotic public outcry, put it back. 

Why were so many keen to pledge their allegiance to the underdog brand? Customers wanted to keep the sauce in stores, because  — unlike Heinz, its biggest competitor — French's is produced with Ontario tomatoes. 

Heinz Ketchup has been a mainstay for Canadians for over 100 years, but in June 2014, they stopped using the production facility in Leamington, Ont. 

Politics aside, how about the taste?

Hungry for consensus, Edmonton AM brought in some local experts: Adam Stoyko, Chef and Partner at Highlevel Diner, and Taylor Zottl, Manager of Mercer Tavern, to give both recipes a try.

In the end, the panel said both ketchups tasted quite similar.  But with all the recent publicity French's is coming out as the winner.

Where do you stand on the great ketchup debate? Let us know in the comments section below.