Heinz Out, Red Gold In At Cedar Fair Parks

[The Interpreter]

...Red Gold, based in Orestes, will be the official ketchup supplier in Cedar Fair's network of parks that include Cedar Point and Kings Island. No financial details were disclosed....

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100407/BUSINESS/100407011/1003/BUSINESS/Red-Gold-to-supply-Cedar-Fair-chain

[Hank]

I used to work for Heinz. I am a ketchup lover and I know the difference between Heinz and others. Will this change stop me from buying fies at the parks? No, but I might smuggle in my own bottle of the red sauce - or a ton of those little packets!

[The Interpreter]

I can only imagine the terms of this deal. Suffice it to say that probably everyone involved wins, except the poor people who paid four bucks or so for fries and expected them to come with the splendid product that is Heinz Ketchup, compared to all the others. Red Gold? Yeah, right. I'd rather have Kroger brand. Honest.

[Hank]

The terms of the deal....Anticipation!

Hank, who just had to!

[TTD-120-420]

Noooooooooo! I must have Heinz for my Happy Friar fries at CP. What shall I ever do now?!

[Losantiville]

one word:

YUCK

[PREMiERdrum]

I've noticed several restaurants around me going to bottles of Red Gold ketchup on the tables. I actually can't remember the last time I saw a bottle of Heinz on a restaurant's table. Even Steak n' Shake has gone to generic red refillable squeeze bottles.

[The Interpreter]

I will give it this. At least it is not Hunt's.

Oh well. Yet another reason to stop me from buying fried food in the park (which neither my wallet not my waistline needs...). From that aspect, I guess I should thank Cedar Fair for saving me both money and inches...

[BoddaH1994]

To be honest, had this thread never been posted I probably wouldn't have noticed the switch... and I bet about 99.99999% of park guests wouldn't notice either.

[The Interpreter]

I bet you are not right. Heinz ketchup lovers know the difference. Others may not care, but they do.

[BoddaH1994]

Yeah, but how many people can really be that hard up on ketchup? If they changed their pizza supplier... I could see people noticing... if they changed their soft drop supplier (Coke/Pepsi) I could see a handful of people noticing... but ketchup? Really?

[The Interpreter]

Yes, really.

I would buy generic brands of many, many things. Or off brands. Only three things come immediately to mind that I would never, ever do that:

Ketchup

Laundry Detergent

Paper Towels

And that is all.

Honestly....

[BoddaH1994]

But not toilet paper, right?

[The Interpreter]

Right. I can think of many brands of acceptable toilet paper...and when one goes to a public facility, one accepts what one is provided....

So far, Cedar Fair has not chosen to sell toilet paper...oops....

[Hank]

Like I said - I worked at Heinz and they did lots of testing on their product to be sure it didn't lose it's taste when applied to hot stuff, like fries. I'm sure other companies do that too, but I have found that only Heinz ketchup keeps its flavor on hot fries. Hunts - well, not even close. It gets sour.

[The Interpreter]

To me, Hunt's has always had the delicate flavor of...cigarette ashes. Honest.

There is a reason that stuff is $1 a bottle at most any dollar store.

[mtl2013]

uuughhhh, redgold is nasty! im gonna be so let down when i order my fires, and taste that nasty stuff. :/

[TH13TEEN]

I could really care less. I do think it is funny that you all are about to cry about Heinz takeing the boot. Is it really that bad... If the GP starting crying over ketchup, then I think I'll have a break down right then and there. And if the GP are not going to order fries because of the ketchup... Then I say "good" they probably don't need it anyways; America is FAT as is. "End Rant"

[The Interpreter]

I could really care less. I do think it is funny that you all are about to cry about Heinz takeing the boot. Is it really that bad... If the GP starting crying over ketchup, then I think I'll have a break down right then and there. And if the GP are not going to order fries because of the ketchup... Then I say "good" they probably don't need it anyways; America is FAT as is. "End Rant"

Good! You do care some, since you could care less than you do.

Thank you for your support!

Terpy, who just HAD to (and who is trying to catchup...Lettuce try)

[TH13TEEN]

Thanks Terpy...

Some ACE'rs could use it too...

[The Interpreter]

You mean the ones at the gravy buffet?

Terpy, who was once too large for a coaster or two....

[TH13TEEN]

^ Yes the ones at the gravy buffet... Or any buffet for that matter... When they hear "buffet" they jump out of line for I305, and they know it's no use. I mean it is a Intamin of course...

[westcoaster]

Cedar Fair has to be hurting this is getting ridiculous wish bush or merlin or someone would save Kings Island!!!

Ketchup is HEINZ I agree with earlier post's they should have just let kroger be the ketchup supplier!

[TOPGUN1993]

You kic people

[Hank]

^ Westcoaster - did you ever hear of punctuation? It makes reading a heck of a lot easier!

[kjkjkj]

I don't eat ketchup, I think it's pretty nasty.So this is no big deal to me. Oh well.

And I think the McDonalds I went to the other day had Red Gold ketchup in packets at the restaurant...lol

[The Interpreter]

You kic people

You should have used a Scooby picture....

Terpy, who just HAD to

[PhantomTheater]

I am disappointed in this decision, Heinz is by far the best ketchup. For all you who just think ketchup is ketchup, you are wrong, the ketchup makes the fries. I am finicky about my condiments, I can even tell the difference between Stadium and Ballpark mustard.

[Browntggrr]

My wife bought another brand of ketchup other than Heinz- once.

I made her promise me that she would never do that again.

There are just a few things that you have to get a name brand for:

Heinz Ketchup

Hellman's Mayo

Any name brand toilet paper

Campbell's tomato soup

Smucker's jelly

Red Gold must have given CF a sweet deal to make the change. I doubt it will effect food sales though. When someone wants a hot dog or fries, I have never heard the order start out with "What kind of ketchup do you have?"

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

I worked at Information Resources, the leading package goods market research firm, and brand loyality is well known. When it comes to name brand products, consumers will always choose certain brands even if the price increases. There are certain brands that I will always choose over local or the "other" brand. Heinz is always my choice for ketcup. It has more flavor and is thicker over the other brand. It is the same for Coke, Skippy peanut butter, and Kraft Mayo to just name a few. Places like Cedar Fair, fast food restruants I am sure conduct product research in test markets and focus groups to gage the public's acceptance to brand changes. They combine that with surveys, both blind, mail and phone surveys to see if they will change their preferences. But I would venture that just because CF chooses change their ketchup providers will not see their attendence drop for that reason. Now if they change their soft drink vendors it will only come after countless surveys and what is in the contracts Cedar Fair has between the vendors and the location of their parks and how strong the brands are with the public. But I would only be speculate about brand choices and I will not do that. If they do change, that is of no concern to me.