Popular ketchup company Heinz is under fire after a video allegedly taken in one of their factories has gone viral. Many consumers have been left concerned and angry over what could possibly be in their bottle of ketchup in their pantry after witnessing what some factory workers put in a machine.
The video footage shows workers putting what appears to be rotten and discolored tomatoes into a large metal tank that is used in the process of making ketchup. It seems that whoever took the video knew that what was happening at the factory was wrong and wanted proof.
However, Heinz has since hit back against the online video, stating that the allegations about the quality of their production line were “completely misleading and inaccurate.”
Heinz Egypt went on further to state, “The recent story concerning our tomato factory in Egypt was completely misleading and inaccurate. The edited footage shows an unreal picture and neglects the processing stages, hence gives the wrong impression. It is important for everyone to know that we use only healthy tomatoes, all of which are processed using industry-best standards.”
Another statement read, “The video was deliberately edited to not show all the real stages of the tomato purification and sorting process in an attempt to falsify the facts, which represents intentional and deliberate harm to the company’s reputation that is contrary to the facts.”
Many consumers were not buying the statements Heinz provided nor the quality of the product and demanded the company to provide footage of the entire ketchup-making process to falsify the other video’s inaccuracies. Their request was never fulfilled.
A local media outlet reported that the video led to a police raid at a Heinz-affliated factory in Egypt where over two tons of tomato sauce made from rotten produce were seized. The company quickly attempted to deny that the product was not intended for distribution, however soon after, one of the managing directors of the company was allegedly arrested.
“As for news concerning the detainment of Kraft Heinz factory manager for the presence of damaged products on factory site, the company asserts that these products are not for distribution,” the company said. “The company has full confidence in the integrity of investigation authorities and ensures its commitment and cooperation to provide the necessary documents to disclose the truth to the public.”
Heinz asserted that it adheres to “strict quality standards” across all of its products. “We are committed to strictly applying these standards across all our factories worldwide, including Egypt,” the company stated.
But again, not many people believe the credibility of the company anymore.
Many people have now questioned the quality of tomatoes used and expressed concerns over the level of hygiene maintained in Egyptian factories. This case provides a strong argument for why we should buy products that are made in the USA.
