Does anyone remember colored Shrek ketchup? Donkey was the purple one! Heinz EZ Squirt's first color entry was 'Blastin' Green' and was created as a promotional ketchup in support of the first Shrek movie, and moms and kids came running. Heinz released the now-famous EZ Squirt ketchup bottles filled with bright green ketchup in honor of the release of the first 'Shrek' movie. The inventive ketchup hit stores in the Y2K packaged in an ergonomically-shaped "EZ Squirt'' plastic bottle to contrast with Heinz's traditional glass bottles.
The Pittsburgh-based food company rolled out the new line with the "Blastin' Green" flavor to coincide with the first "Shrek" movie. It was the coloring. Spinach-colored "Blastin' Green" ketchup was one of the varieties offered in the EZ Squirt line and became an instant hit, especially with kids.
It is certainly true that many kids across the US begged for the strangely-colored EZ Squirt ketchup, and most young people remember this product being in at least one friend's house, if not their own. The very first bottles were green and were released as a partnership to help promote the first Shrek movie. From fruity, neon-colored cereal, to candies with the inexplicable color of blue raspberry, kids love bright food products and corporations know this well.
This line of thinking likely contributed to the introduction of Heinz's EZ Squirt ketchups. In the early aughts, Heinz made a gamble on selling novelty colored ketchup. What happened to this neon-hued condiment? After conditioning consumers for 124 years to expect ketchup to be red, the H.J.
Heinz company pivoted suddenly on July 10, 2000, and gave the condiment a colorful makeover. The Heinz EZ Squirt. The green ketchup was promoted in conjunction with the release of the movie Shrek and led to the development of other brightly colored follow-ups.
Heinz released purple, pink, orange, teal, and blue in order to capitalize on the popularity.