McDonald’s Ketchup Gets Squeezed Out; Chain Drops Heinz After 40 Years Now That Burger King Holds the Ketchup

McDonald's ketchup is getting squeezed out. It seems that Burger King wants to serve it your way.

After 40 years, fast-food chain McDonald's is ending their relationship with Heinz. The Fortune 500 chain McDonald's cited "recent management changes" at the ketchup maker. The new Heinz CEO, Bernardo Hees, used to work at Burger King, McDonald's main rival.

Heinz, which makes the ketchup, as well as baked beans and other sides, named a former top Burger King executive as its new Chief Executive Officer and that's just too spicy.

McDonald's says that most customers won't even notice the new ketchup. Becca Hary, the director of global media relations at McDonald's said "We only used Heinz in the Minneapolis and Pittsburgh markets in the U.S. Globally, Heinz represents a small percentage of McDonald's condiment and sauce business." Hary says the McDonald's ketchup change will happen after a "a smooth and orderly transition."

A Heinz senior official agreed that the ketchup maker has "virtually no business" with McDonald's.

The McDonald's ketchup changeup has nothing to do with McDonald's menu changes, its execs say. McDonald's is changing its Dollar Menu and adding higher end food options. McDonald's made its quarterly earnings report month and said sales grew only slightly over last year.

Heinz said that it does not comment on relationships with customers as a policy.

Heinz is a privately held company that is based in Pittsburgh, doesn't just make ketchup and baked beans. It also makes vinegar and other foods. Bernardo Hees is still the vice chairman of the board of directors at Burger King. He is also a partner at 3G Capital.  3G bought Burger King in 2010 and the 43-year-old Brazilian Bernado Hees slashed costs, changed the Burger King menu and launched a major marketing campaign that has seen it ketching up (sorry, couldn't resist) to long-time rival McDonald's.

McDonald's shares went up 10 cents yesterday to close at $94.78. That's a tasty side.