Tuesday, March 30, 2021

French’s brings ketchup to London

French’s ketchup will ramp up to full production at its new plant at London this week.


It solidifies the company’s claim to provide Canadians with a domestic-made ketchup which is a selling point after Heinz pulled out of its ketchup plant at Leamington.


McCormick Canada is the company that makes French’s ketchup and mustard and owns the former Club House spice business in London. It is owned by McCormick Canada which is, in turn, owned by McCormick Ltd. of Baltimore.


Bottling of French’s ketchup began at the London plant last month, the company said Monday, but added that “full production ramps up this week.” An exact dollar figure wasn’t given for the cost of the expansion.


McCormick said it would continue to source 100 per cent of its tomatoes for French’s ketchup in Canada from the Leamington, Ont. area and would continue to offer the product in four varieties: original, garlic, low-sodium, and no-sugar-added.


McCormick is buying tomato paste from the Highbury Canco which operates from the plant Heinz abandoned.