Heinz and French's Are Embroiled in a Ketchup and Mustard War

Few things inspire such fierce brand loyalty as condiments. Many an argument has been waged over the merits of Hellman's vs. Miracle Whip, and devotees of Heinz ketchup turn up their noses at Hunt's. Now, two condiment giants are invading each other's territory in the quest to increase their respective market shares: The New York Times writes that "Heinz, the Great Dane of ketchup, has retooled its much less well-known mustard with plans to chip away at French’s dominance."

But turnabout is fair play, and so French's is "muscling its way into the ketchup lineup, convinced that it can steal market share." The company's new ketchup attempts to assert its superiority by touting its lack of high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and artificial colorings and flavorings. Both companies have a steep hill to climb to compete with the other: Heinz currently accounts for 62 percent of all ketchup sales in the United States, while French's dominates the mustard sector with a 40 percent share. The respective plays for new market share come as sales of both condiments have flatlined over the past year.

Watch Heinz's attempt to hone in on French's territory with its new mustard ad campaign, below: