57 Varieties and then some

The mutton chopped fellow above is one Henry J. Heinz born this day 1844, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to German immigrant parents. It seems Henry was a green thumbed type of child, and even had his own little garden at an early age. By the age of nine he was growing, grinding, bottling, and selling his own brand of horseradish sauce. By the age of 10 he had three quarters of an acre of land, and was using a wheelbarrow to deliver vegetables to local grocery stores. By the age of 17 he was making $2,400 a year which is a shit ton of money in 1861. After graduating business school, and having one failed business venture, he started his second company in 1875 with his brother, and a cousin. One of the company's first products was tomato ketchup, and a star was born. In 1888, Heinz bought out his partners, and renamed the company the H.J. Heinz company, and continued to grow. The famous "57" varieties slogan was fairly random, he stole it off a slogan off of a advert from a shoe store on the subway. Even when he "borrowed" the idea his company was making much more than 57 varieties of product. My favourite remains ketchup, I put it on all kinds of potatoes, even ones that "normal" people would not dream of using ketchup upon. At least I mange to keep it out of scrambled eggs, and pasta, unlike some people in the world. He incorporated the company in 1905, and was the president of it until his death. Under his presidency the company was known for pioneering sanitary food practices, and the fair treatment of workers. These were not the kind of times when workers of the world were treated particularly fairly. Of course, any Steelers fan will tell you their fine football field is named after him, and the company remains booming until this day. So, for making a damn fine ketchup which I have smothered untold numbers of fries under, and for treating his working with a modicum of human kindness, Henry J. Heinz (October 11th, 1844- May 14th, 1919, at the age of 74), you are my hero of the day.