Does your Kraft Heinz ketchup bottle have ‘Product of the U.S.A.’ written on it? Here’s why

The Heinz Kraft products are pictured in Hastings on Hudson, New York, U.S., on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Photographer: Tiffany Hagler-Geard /Bloomberg

Some consumers thought they caught Kraft Heinz red-handed for lying about their ketchup being Canadian, after noticing bottles they bought have “Product of the U.S.A.” slapped on the label.

Last week, Kraft Heinz Canada clapped back at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after suggesting their ketchup was not Canadian-made amid looming tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

“More than 1,000 hard-working Canadians at our Mont Royal Quebec facility, together with many suppliers in the province, produce HEINZ Ketchup for Canadians using tomatoes grown in Leamington, Ontario,” the food manufacturer said in a statement last Thursday.

After CTV News published the story, several readers wrote in, some even sharing photos, to point out their Heinz ketchup bottles have “Product of the U.S.A.” plastered on the label.

Before the proverbial tomato could stick to Kraft Heinz Canada’s face, a spokesperson explained why some of its ketchup bottles contain this messaging.

If there is a specialty ketchup that Kraft Heinz cannot produce in Canada, or if it cannot be produced at the Montreal factory due to “significant Canadian consumer demand,” the ketchup bottle may mention how it’s from the United States.

“In 2024, this only accounted for 10 per cent of HEINZ Ketchup in stores,” Kraft Heinz said.

The condiment company says it sourced more than 220-million pounds of tomatoes out of Leamington.

As per the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, food products can contain a “Made in Canada” qualifier on its label when the “last substantial transformation of the product” happened in the country – even if that means some ingredients are sourced from other countries. An item can also contain claims like “Prepared in Canada” or “Processed in Canada” if the food product is entirely prepared or processed in the country.

There was a point, however, where Kraft Heinz halted production in Ontario to move down to the U.S. This only lasted for five years, with the company moving to Montreal in 2020.

Kraft Heinz says it has recently renewed its agreement with Highbury Canco, the food processing company in Leamington, for another four years, adding it is slated to deliver more than $1 billion in economic value.

Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods could start as soon as this Saturday, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying the proposed date “still holds.”

Initially, Trump blamed the flow of illegal drugs and migrants over the border as the reason behind his across-the-board tariffs but recently shifted his rationale to praising the use of tariffs on their own merit.

Sources tell CTV News the federal government is planning a stimulus package to aid Canadians and businesses should these threats be imposed, though the scale of this relief will depend on the scope of these impending tariffs.

With files from CTV News' Stephanie Ha