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An article published this week by AdAge has the internet, once again, taking sides.
The article claims ranch dressing has replaced ketchup as the condiment people prefer to use the most, based on some not-at-all biased information provided by Clorox Co. — the company that owns Hidden Valley Ranch.
According to Clorox Co., marketer of category-leading Hidden Valley Ranch, 70 percent of ranch usage now happens beyond the salad bowl – including for dipping pizza, French fries and popcorn. Ranch has also displaced bleu cheese as the dipping sauce of choice for wings, says Jacquie Klein, director of the brand studio that oversees Hidden Valley marketing.
“Ranch is a rising iconic flavor in food and culture today,” said Klein. “It’s found on more than half of restaurant menus and in 75 percent of homes in the U.S. It’s really embedded in our culture. We have more than 5 million Twitter conversations a year. We always love to see Hidden Valley Ranch fountains at weddings and mini-kegs at backyard barbecues.”
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Hidden Valley, the leader in the ranch category, reportedly had around $550 million in sales during its most recent fiscal year. Ketchup brands combined reportedly had $833 million in sales. So maybe they’re not wrong?
The article also states that salsa and mayonnaise are also bigger than ketchup. Don’t even ask about mustard or barbecue sauce.
“Ranch is a mega-flavor in food that’s found across the store, where ketchup is really bound by its bottle in the condiments aisle,” Klein added.
Reactions to this important condiment news, has, as usual, torn the internet in half.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1169435018176999426 https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1169534954012860416Don’t get me wrong ketchup is great and if you’re going to eat it, it has to be Heinz. However, when it comes to all out dominance, everyone knows its Ranch. Ketchup is a close second though. 🤷🏼♂️✊🤣
— Sharp (@sharpcutco) September 5, 2019
“Says ranch manufacturer” my ketchup-fueled brain is calling propaganda. Ketchup gang rise up
— Brady Connors (@Ice_IceBrady) September 5, 2019
@fox5dc Are they still manufacturing ketchup? Why are we having this conversation?? It’s obviously ranch #hotdebate #gooddaydc
— DWS (@NakedWordsLive) September 5, 2019
Fake news.
Has a person ever had bad ketchup at school or a restaurant? Nope.
But bad ranch....that will ruin a meal.
— Joyous (@joymertessmith) September 5, 2019
Ranch bc ketchup is for 5 year olds.....
— Desiree 🌞 (@DezTiara_) September 5, 2019
Ranch better than ketchup?!! pic.twitter.com/oGfNW6ii2a
— Juancho 🇨🇴 (@JColeWorld10) September 5, 2019
I use to dip mine in Ketchup when I was little. But now I use ranch like a normal person lol
— Megan Goth (@MeganLuvsShaneD) September 4, 2019
Ranch is cute but Ketchup goes on anything. Fries, chicken, eggs, steak. Ketchup is Hood- Friendly ❤️
— Mickey (@MMarcus0208) September 5, 2019
The people have spoken… and vehemently disagreed… again.
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