Mayonnaise is a well-loved staple in many households, and perhaps the most popular mayonnaise brand that most people opt for is Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.
If you love Hellman’s Mayonnaise, you may be wondering who owns Hellman’s Mayonnaise. I looked up the facts, and here is what I discovered!
Who Owns Hellmann’s Mayonnaise?
Currently, Unilever owns Hellman’s Mayonnaise because Unilever bought the rights to Hellman’s Mayonnaise in 2000. However, the original owner and inventor of Hellman’s Mayonnaise is Richard Hellman, who started selling his wife’s version of mayonnaise back in 1905. Moreover, Postum Cereal Company bought Hellman’s Mayonnaise in 1927 before Unilever bought Hellman’s Mayonnaise.
Do you want to learn more about the origins of Hellman’s Mayonnaise? Keep reading!
Who Is The Owner Of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise?
Currently, Hellman’s Mayonnaise is owned by Unilever, which is a British company that bought Hellman’s Mayonnaise back in 2000.
However, the original owner of Hellman’s Mayonnaise was Richard Hellman who first sold his wife’s version of the mayonnaise in 1905 in his deli in New York City.
Additionally, Postum Cereal Company first purchased Hellman’s Mayonnaise before Unilever did back in 1927, and Postum Cereal Company changed its name to General Foods later on.
Richard Hellman was part of the board for General Foods, and together General Foods and Richard Hellman bought more companies while merging with others.
In 1932, General Foods owned both Hellman’s Mayonnaise and Best Foods Mayonnaise, and since both mayonnaise brands were successful both brand names were kept, which is why we see both Hellman’s Mayonnaise and Best Foods Mayonnaise today.
To prevent the two brands from competing with each other, General Foods sells Best Foods Mayonnaise on the west side of the Rocky Mountains whereas Hellman’s Mayonnaise is sold on the east side of the Rocky Mountains.
Who Invented Hellmann’s Mayonnaise?
Richard Hellman, who was a German immigrant, is the invertor and founder of Hellman’s Mayonnaise, but records state that Richard Hellman says that Hellman’s Mayonnaise was his wife’s recipe for mayonnaise.
Originally, Richard Hellman sold Hellman’s Mayonnaise as small amounts of ready-made mayonnaise.
However, Hellman’s Mayonnaise quickly grew in popularity and his consumers wanted to purchase Hellman’s Mayonnaise in bulk, causing Richard Hellman to change the recipe to make Hellman’s Mayonnaise last longer.
Eventually, Richard Hellman opened up a factory in 1913 to create even more mayonnaise and changed the name to Hellman’s Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise while selling his mayonnaise in the glass clear jars that we know today.
Are Duke’s Mayonnaise and Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Made By The Same Company?
Duke’s Mayonnaise is not owned by the same company as Hellman’s Mayonnaise because Duke’s Mayonnaise is owned by Falfurrias Capital Partners of Charlotte whereas Hellman’s Mayonnaise is currently owned by Unilever.
Is Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Owned By Kraft?
Hellman’s Mayonnaise is not owned by Kraft because Unilever owns Hellman’s Mayonnaise.
However, Kraft does own their own brand of mayonnaise, which is called Kraft Mayonnaise.
Are Best Foods And Hellman’s The Same Company?
Technically, Hellman’s and Best Foods are brands that are owned by the same company because General Foods acquired both Hellman’s and Best Foods.
Eventually, Unilever bought the rights to Hellman’s Mayonnaise along with Best Foods Mayonnaise, and Unilever is the current owner of both mayonnaise brands.
Is Hellman’s A Chinese Company?
Hellman’s is not a Chinese company because Hellman’s was originally started by Richard Hellman in America, and Richard Hellman himself eventually because an American.
Is Hellman’s An American Company?
Technically, Hellman’s was initially an American company since Hellman’s was created and popularized in America.
However, Hellman’s is currently owned by Unilever, which is a British company, making Hellman’s currently a British brand despite Hellman’s roots being in the United States of America.
Where Is Hellmann’s Mayonnaise From?
Hellman’s Mayonnaise is from the United States of America and was originally created and sold in New York.
Is Hellman’s Mayonnaise Good?
Hellman’s Mayonnaise being good mostly depends on your preference since everyone has different opinions about what makes mayonnaise good.
However, Hellman’s Mayonnaise is well regarded by many people as a good and accessible mayonnaise, meaning Hellman’s Mayonnaise is tasty mayonnaise for most households.
Generally, Hellman’s Mayonnaise is said to have a thick yet spreadable texture, making Hellman’s mayonnaise a great mayonnaise to use as a spread, binding ingredient, and more.
Additionally, many people stated that Hellman’s mayonnaise has a slightly tangy yet not overpowering flavor, so Hellman’s Mayonnaise’s taste works with most people.
However, others may dislike Hellman’s Mayonnaise because they think that Hellman’s Mayonnaise tastes like “factory-made” mayonnaise other that Hellman’s Mayonnaise is too bland for their liking.
Why Did Hellmann’s Change Their Name?
Technically, Hellman’s Mayonnaise has never changed its name despite being bought by several companies throughout the years.
Instead, people may confuse Best Foods for Hellman’s Mayonnaise, but they are simply two separate mayonnaise brands owned by the same company, which is currently Unilever.
What General Foods and Unilever do is give Best Foods and Hellman’s the same logo but with different names, making the two mayonnaise products look like sister brands.
Moreover, Hellman’s and Best Foods share the same advertisements and commercials with their names switched, which has been an effective way to promote both mayonnaise brands.
For instance, Best Foods Mayonnaise and Hellman’s Mayonnaise both have the same blue logo with a yellow background on their product’s labels, making them nearly identical.
By doing this method, the two mayonnaise products will not compete with each other since Hellman’s and Best Foods are both established mayonnaise brands since most people will not notice the different names.
Check out our related articles to find out what Blue Plate Mayonnaise is, what Great Value Mayonnaise is, and what Japanese mayonnaise is.
Conclusion
Hellman’s Mayonnaise was first created and owned by Richard Hellman, who started making and selling Hellman’s Mayonnaise in New York.
Eventually, General Foods bought Hellman’s Mayonnaise then Unilever purchased the rights to Hellman’s Mayonnaise, making Unilever the current owner of Hellman’s Mayonnaise.