News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. May 1, 2023: Ketchup company Heinz, has been put in the hot seat after a Caribbean born fisherman who survived 24 days lost at sea on just ketchup and seasonings and became dubbed as “ketchup boat guy,” says the money offered to him by the company cannot cover a new fishing boat with GPS.
Heinz gave Dominica born Elvis Francois EC40,000 to buy a new boat complete with a navigation system after learning he’d survived 24 days lost at sea on Heinz ketchup.
But Francois told the Insider that the money is only enough to buy a small boat and two engines to resume fishing but not a navigation system.
Heinz had told The Washington Post it planned to give Francois “a new boat equipped with full navigational technology to avoid another disaster in the future.”
But Francois agreed to accept EC $40,000 instead and now says he feels “kind of” disappointed as the money was only enough for a small used boat and engines and not a sailboat. He told the Insider he spent EC$18,000 on a small boat and EC$20,000 on two motors and has no money left for GPS.
Heinz insisted it “discussed the amount” of EC$40,000 and “expedited” the payment to Francois. But a spokesperson added since “our only goal here was to delight Mr Francois, if he was not able to purchase the boat that we had discussed, we’re happy to take a look and determine if additional funds are needed.”
It is left to be seen if Heinz will now fund the GPS system for the man who has become famous as “ketchup boat guy.” This story highlights the power of social media in bringing attention to important issues and amplifying the voices of those who are often overlooked. It also sheds light on the challenges faced by those who work in the service industry, and the importance of properly funding and supporting initiatives to ensure their success.
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