The Colombian Navy rescued a man adrift in his boat in the Caribbean. Now the maker of the most popular ketchup in the world is looking for that man.
Why is The Kraft Heinz Company, maker of Heinz ketchup, looking for 47-year-old Elvis Francois? Francois survived almost 30 days at sea on Heinz ketchup and seasoning, along with rainwater. The company decided to buy the man a new boat but Francois is not to be found. Where’s Elvis?
Elvis is from Dominica, the island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. In a story that is worthy of being turned into a movie, he was repairing his boat near the island of Saint Martin in December. The currents pulled his boat into the Caribbean. He tried to call for help but he had no signal. So, he spent 24 days waiting for rescue. He survived on ketchup, garlic powder, and Maggi seasoning cubes, along with fresh rainwater he collected.
“At some point I lost hope and thought about my family, but I thank the coast guard,” he said in a video released by the Colombian navy. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be telling the story.”
Francois was finally discovered by a plane passing overhead who saw the word “help” he had written across the hull of his boat, according to reports, and he was picked up by a container ship.
Though when company officials first heard the story they didn’t know if the ketchup involved was Heinz or not, they safely assumed it was, given how popular the brand is in the market. The company said it wanted to buy a state-of-the-art boat for him so he didn’t have to worry about boat repairs anymore. Heinz wants to offer Elvis “a new boat equipped with full navigational technology to avoid another disaster in the future.” It’s a publicity stunt and a kind gesture all wrapped up in one offer. There is a catch – they can’t find Elvis. Even after multiple posts on social media and asking the public for help, Elvis has not been located.
“We’re setting this message adrift into the sea of the internet, because if anyone can help us find him, it’s you,” read an Instagram post seeking leads. “If you or anyone you know can help us get in contact with Elvis Francois, please drop us a DM.”
Even after multiple posts, Francois remains under the radar. Heinz wants to take the search international and plans on enlisting “other Heinz markets around the world” to help the company track him down. They’ve received some wacky tips — or as the company’s representative wrote, “we’ve heard from some very interesting folks.” A group of internet sleuths is on the case, and the company also is hoping to hear back from the prime minister of Colombia. “We’re hoping to spread the word far and wide so Heinz can finally get in touch with Elvis,” the representative said in the email.
There are pictures of Elvis on the internet from when he was receiving a medical exam after his rescue.
Guy survives at sea on nothing but @HeinzTweets and now they want to find him and buy him a boat https://t.co/9v3dPoHIcd
— 🎤⚡️🦞JJ Hayes 🎧🎙(He/Him/His) (@JJOnKFDI) February 24, 2023
One commenter said he’s been surviving on ketchup for years.
I understand this guy’s temporary existence surviving on ketchup is viral news and I’m glad he’s fine, although apparently missing, strange notes there…but I must say that I’ve been surviving on ketchup my entire life, so it’s less impressive to me.https://t.co/LBc2E2BDV3
— Timothy Lee Russell (@hyperubik) February 23, 2023
The navy said Francois was handed over to immigration authorities for his return home to Dominica.
The hunt for Elvis sparks the imagination, doesn’t it? Why would he be so hard to find? I write about illegal immigration a lot so I’m pondering if Elvis was really just trying to go somewhere to claim asylum. Maybe his boat didn’t accidentally get carried away into the sea but he began a trip and then needed help. Did the immigration authorities he was turned over to find something out about him that caused his detention? Or, a second scenario could be that he’s a criminal who is wanted for something and living in the Caribbean to live off the grid. He could be running from the law, like in so many detective stories. Or he could just be a guy living in a tropical paradise and not spending his time on social media. Now, all that needs to happen is for someone to recognize him and let him know the Heinz people would like to give him a new boat as a thank-you for all the free publicity. Elvis gets a new boat and Heinz looks good. It’s a win-win.
