Heinz Ketchup Being Sued Over ‘Dip & Squeeze’ Package

Ingeniously, Heinz Ketchup solved a major problem people had with ketchup packets. Heinz, responding to consumer demand for a small packet of ketchup that could be easily spread on a sandwich but at the same time be accessible to dip french fries or onion rings into, created their patented “Dip & Squeeze” packet.

Well, Scott White is crying foul. White claims in a recently filed lawsuit that Heinz stole the idea for the Dip & Squeeze packet from him. White works as a risk analyst for the Chicago Housing Authority but is also a part time inventor. He is claiming he approached Heinz with a design he called the “CondiCup” in 2006, according to the Wall Street Journal.

White says the CondiCup was intended to fit into a car’s cup holder and would be the first condiment dispensing unit which would allow users to peel back a small piece of the lid for spreading or open the whole thing for dipping. White was granted a patent for the design last month. In response, though, Heinz is sticking with its claims that its “Dip & Squeeze” packet design was an internal invention.

In an email to theHuffington Post, a Heinz spokeswoman said that the company “worked for years to develop its patented dual-function Dip & Squeeze package. Heinz won a similar lawsuit earlier this summer. This is another frivolous lawsuit and we will aggressively defend our position and demonstrate that the allegations are groundless and without merit.”

White and his attorneys could not be reached for comments.