I’ll start by saying that tomato sauce is one of my least favourite condiments, followed closely by ranch and thousand island. I would never allow it near my food if I can help it. 

But when Heinz and Gongcha’s latest collaboration, the time-limited Tomato BBT dropped, I could not resist checking it out. Maybe it was the oh-so-cute package that got me hook, line, and sinker. Or maybe it was the thrill of testing my tastebud with something that normally puts me off. 

Packaged in ketchup bottles, the Tomato BBT has already earned rather…interesting responses from fellow foodies for its use of the iconic Heinz tomato ketchup. Throw in a hefty $7.80 price tag, and it’s understandable why the words “Tomato BBT” raises more than a few eyebrows. 

Without further ado, the Berry Mary, made with tomato and raspberry, is every bit as tangy as you would expect. Think about drinking straight from an actual bottle of ketchup except that it’s markedly diluted. While the tomato-forward flavours bring to mind a sweet version of a Bloody Mary, the medicinal aftertaste did throw me off. Unfortunately, the tomato and raspberry flavours did not blend as well as they should, and it even left me with a slight sore throat within the first sip.

On the bright side, it does come pretty close to the actual ketchup bottle.  

Berry Mary – Tomato and Raspberry ($7.80)

The Pomato Bomb fares much better. While its appearance did remind me a little of the infamous pink sauce from TikTok, the pear and pomegranate flavours complemented each other perfectly. The smoothie-like consistency also made it easy to slurp it all up. 

Pomato Bomb – Tomato, Pear, and Pomegranate ($7.80)

With some hits and misses, it remains to be seen if the Tomato BBT will be remembered for the right reasons. Still, it’s pretty commendable that Heinz and Gongcha managed to….concoct something like this! 

Heinz
Website/ Facebook/ Instagram 

Gong Cha 
Website/ Facebook/ Instagram 

chueonit.