Zeisner

Have you ever wondered what it tasted like to bite into a German tomato? Right in front of you stands a testament to the humble tomato and all its delicious possibilities – Zeisner, the company that brought ketchup to Germany. It all began in 1902 when a man named Waldemar Zeisner, a pharmacist, fell in love with English Worcestershire sauce. He decided to start importing it to Bremen. Waldemar and his wife Juliane, however, were more than happy to experiment with their own recipes. They found that they preferred the flavor of their own homemade, spicy sauce and that was how Zeisner started. They were pioneers in the condiment world. It was their son, Georg, who in 1937, decided to try his hand at making ketchup which had been a popular condiment in England and the US since the 18th and 19th centuries. It was considered a specialty ingredient in Germany and was only available in speciality stores. The company’s slogan was, “With passion for the best possible taste.” The 1950s saw a period of dramatic growth for the business and in the 1960s, with the rise of fast food restaurants, the demand for ketchup became enormous. Zeisner, sadly, became victims of their own success as the smell of the production process began to bother nearby residents. They moved to the area of Grasberg in 1967 where they remain today, their legacy continues of bringing delicious, flavorful sauces for all to enjoy.