The person who wanted to crush Heinz and its ketchup by creating a Quebec “Quetchup” has just declared bankruptcy, taking with him nearly $2 million in public funds.
Investissement Québec had invested $290,734 in the Quebec SME which was founded in Saguenay by Simon-Pierre Murdock. He is one of the secured creditors who will have priority in the repayment of debts which amount to more than $6.6 million, according to documents obtained by The Journal.
For its part, Fondaction had invested $1.5 million in Botteillage Canada, which had stopped its production for five months in Chicoutimi-Nord due to a major equipment breakdown. Production was then moved outside this region.
Around twenty employees lost their jobs due to this bankruptcy.
The fault of the government
“Aggravated by a difficult economic context and an extremely competitive environment with American competitors continuing to be subsidized by our own government to sell in Quebec, these impacts have led the company into an untenable financial dynamic,” indicated founder Simon- Pierre Murdock on his LinkedIn account.
Moreover, the latter has denounced the actions of the Legault government for several years. In November 2021, it granted a $2 million loan to Kraft Heinz, which bought its tomatoes in the United States, the same day it launched its vast communications campaign “Let’s buy from Quebec!”.
The liquidation will be carried out by the Trustee Tremblay & Compagnie. In total, there are more than 130 creditors.
Murdock launched his 100% Quebec “Quetchup” in 2021 with the intention of crushing the competition. The tomatoes were produced by Serres Bleues, in Chapais.
The entrepreneur even planted thousands of Roma tomato plants in order to produce his ketchup, which was also made from honey, garlic and onions.
– With Philippe Langlois, Investigation Office
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