Firstly, what isn’t Ketchup World? Ketchup World was born in 2000, launched by my father, Larry, as an online marketplace for international and domestically produced specialty ketchup, and a solution to the notion that there simply must be more out there than Heinz.  

A community-college English professor by day, he researched across the country and overseas for as many varieties of this tomato based commodity as he could find, uncovering everything from multiple varieties of curry ketchup from Germany to banana ketchup by way of Costa Rica, all made available to the condiment-starved masses through his digital storefront (and all of which was stored in the basement and carriage house of my childhood home located in the suburbs of Philadelphia). 

Over time, he amassed over 70 varieties of ketchup, developed a wholesale business, landed an ongoing spot as the official Ketchup of Minnesota Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, and a private labeling sector where he famously made Commemorative Ketchups for the 2000 Election featuring George W. Bush and Al Gore Ketchup (unfortunately Larry claims to have lost the graphics for the Al Gore Ketchup, yet still has the GWB imagery…he refuses to comment on this). While tempted with other condiment channels, Larry remained a ketchup purist.

In 2005, Larry sold Ketchup World. As much as I’d like to have the story pivot to my life as a condiment heiress, he offloaded the company breaking even on his initial investment. His rationale was this–“There is a critical mass as to how much ketchup someone can buy and someone can sell.” There was also a personal tiff with Malcom Gladwell that influenced this too but we have all signed NDA’s and cannot comment any further. Apparently, it was his 14 year old daughter (me) who suggested he try selling the business online and in 48 hours, Ketchup World was no longer a Bailis family birthright.

After nearly 15 years of emptiness living in a Ketchup-less World, I’ve decided to bring it back. Ketchup World 2020 (KW 2.0 If you will) is a project to both share the original history of Ketchup World and to reimagine it as a digital brand and storefront for fundraising-driven merchandise, as well as condiment-based nostalgia. Taking into account the infamous company motto, I’d like to think it applies in a holistic sense here…“And you thought you knew Ketchup? Think again!”