When More Is Not Better

Chapter 9

An Agenda for Citizens

The Leamington Ketchup Affair

In 2016 a serious dustup occurred in Canada, spurred by consumers outraged over, of all things, the location of ketchup production. The story began in February 2013, when 3G Capital (mentioned in chapter 6) took control of Heinz, the world’s dominant ketchup maker. Nine months later, in November 2013, in the midst of a major global cost-cutting campaign, the company informed workers in its Leamington plant, located in the heart of vegetable-farming country in southwestern Ontario, that the facility would be closing in June 2014 and ketchup production moved to the United States.

Leamington’s payroll included 749 full-time employees and 350 seasonal workers, and the facility consumed ...