• Reuters, Wednesday, November 23, 2005 11:45 AM

Americans are apparently not consuming as much ketchup as they used to, and that has executives at H.J. Heinz Co. a little worried. Heinz Ketchup is the company's flagship product and holds a 60 percent market share, according to Information Resources Inc. But in the four weeks ended Oct. 31, U.S. ketchup sales fell 5.6 percent from a year earlier. As a result, Heinz is planning a new marketing effort designed to spark sales. "The new program will be designed to encourage consumers to trade up to larger sizes of Heinz Ketchup and expand usage across different host foods," William Johnson, chairman and chief executive told analysts. Heinz wouldn't provide specifics of the marketing plan, which is still under development, but the company has been interested in emphasizing the benefits of lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomato-based foods that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, among other ailments.

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