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Classic mayonnaise has been a staple in sandwiches and potato salads for decades, but consumer goods giant Unilever is hoping to boost sales and appeal to younger shoppers by adding a spicier twist to the age-old condiment.
Unilever’s Hellmann’s brand is prioritizing flavored mayonnaise launches to attract millennial and Gen Z consumers, a demographic that uses less seasoning but is more drawn to new and novel varieties. It also gives shoppers more choice when preparing food at home, adding variety to Hellmann’s and making them more likely to add mayonnaise to meals and dishes they might not have previously tried.
According to Circana data provided by Unilever, the flavored mayonnaise market size is estimated at $210 million.
“Launching our flavoured mayonnaise portfolio … has definitely helped us increase the relevance of our brand, particularly with younger generations and consumers,” Chris Sims, Unilever North America’s head of marketing, dressings and seasonings, said in an interview. “If we hadn’t done that, we might have missed the opportunity to sell a product that was relevant to more people in their homes.”
Flavored mayonnaise has seen “significant growth” at Unilever, with sales “Almost doubled” In 2023, According to Symmes,. The product also proved a huge hit with the classic Hellmann's Real, with up to 70% of buyers of the flavoured mayonnaise also buying the original.
Chris Symmes, Director of Marketing, Dressings and Seasonings, Unilever North AmericaLicensed by Unilever
Hellmann's began in 1905 when German immigrant Richard Hellmann opened a deli in New York City and began using his wife's mayonnaise recipe on salads. The mayonnaise became so popular that Hellmann's began selling it.
Today, the brand has annual sales of more than $2 billion (€2 billion) worldwide. It is particularly popular in the United States, where Hellmann's is found in about half of all homes.
Hellman's We first launched two flavours of mayonnaise in the UK 10 years ago, but for several years these were the only two available.
The brand launched its first flavored product in the US in 2022, and has launched Spicy as part of an accelerated global rollout. It’s available now. There are 20 flavor varieties worldwide. In the United States alone, Hellmann's Five flavors of mayonnaise options: chipotle, spicy, tagine-made chili lime, Italian herb and garlic, and garlic aioli.
Unilever constantly reviews data and visits trade shows, including Fancy Food last June, to identify trends that could be candidates for flavoured mayonnaise. Sims took note. For example, Chipotle was chosen because it was trending among millennials. Unilever decided to promote spicy mayonnaise along with chicken sandwiches, a popular food among this generation.
Symmes said the pace of new releases “will probably slow down.” Hellman's It takes time to “support, grow and develop” flavored mayonnaise products that are already on the market.
He said that despite the recent success of flavoured mayonnaise, it was unlikely that it would ever overtake the original Real, which accounts for the largest share of the brand's sales.
“There is definitely room for growth in flavored mayonnaise. Hellman's We will continue to operate the franchise for many years to come.” Sims “But our (Hellmann's) Just thinking about how large and well-established our Real business is, in terms of our overall portfolio, Real is like that.”
