US food giant H.J. Heinz Co on Tuesday launched purple ketchup to amuse children at the dinner table. The Heinz EZ Squirt Funky Purple will be available in early September, the company said. This follows Heinz's launch of a Blastin' Green version of the popular condiment nearly a year ago. More than 10 million bottles of the green ketchup were sold in the first seven months, Heinz said. "The tremendous success of Heinz EZ Squirt Blastin' Green showed us that kids love decorating their food with colors that are bright, wild, even a little...funky," said Casey Keller, head of Heinz's condiments business, in a statement. Children consume about 5 billion ounces a year of Heinz ketchup, or more than half that used in the United States, Pittsburgh-based Heinz said.
