In 1876, German immigrant Henry John Heinz, founder of the H.J. Heinz Company, developed ketchup at their headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Legend says Heinz wanted to replicate the Chinese sauce, ke-tsiap, a fermented fish sauce that became a popular trade item in the 18th century. However, tomatoes weren’t added to it until around 1817, with anchovies still remaining a key ingredient. Once Heinz began developing ketchup, the anchovies were removed and more sugar was added to help with preservation, creating the sweet and sour flavor profile we know and love.