Iconic sauce still out of production
THERE is nothing more Ararat than Wild’s Ezy Sauce.
The Ararat invention is loved by cooks Australia wide as a base for sauces, pickles and chutneys.
As readers would know, Kraft Heinz last year decided to discontinue Ezy Sauce which sparked nation wide outrage.
Kraft Heinz admitted there had been a public backlash and in a statement released in August 2022, a spokesperson for the company confirmed the return of the sauce but could not give an exact date.
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The spokesperson said production had been disrupted by the pandemic and other manufacturing issues, but the company was grateful for the “many varied and passionate expressions of love” for the sauce.
“We have been overwhelmed to hear about the popularity of our iconic Wild’s EZY-Sauce and the role it has played in the lives of very loyal consumers across the country,” they said.
Ritches IGA chief executive Fred Harrison told the ABC last year his supermarket had also received an email from Kraft Heinz announcing the return of sauce.
“Our stores received emails [from Kraft Heinz] advising that, due to more than 2,000 customer complaints, by popular demand Wild’s EZY-Sauce will be coming back,” Mr Harrison told ABC Wimmera.
But with preserving season about to begin, there is new doubt whether the sauce will make a return.
The Ararat Advocate has been trying to get an official response from Kraft Heinz with no response.
A call to the Kraft Heinz consumer assistance line revealed the sauce isn’t in production at this stage.
A call centre member told us that Ezy Sauce is “still a discontinued line”.
“We hope to be able to work through the issues in the not too distant future but no update as yet,” the member said.
Wild’s Ezy Sauce was invented by T.A. Wild in what was the Shamrock Hotel in Barkly Street (now Priceline Pharmacy) in 1944.
The scarcity of EZY-sauce has led to prices for the precious commodity soaring.
A bottle of Ezy Sauce is selling on Ebay for $79.95.