While classic mayonnaise has been a dependable addition to sandwiches and potato salad for decades, consumer goods giant Unilever is spicing up the venerable condiment to boost sales and increase its popularity with younger shoppers.
Unilever’s Hellmann’s brand is prioritizing the introduction of flavored mayonnaise to attract millennial and Gen Z consumers — demographics that use less of the condiment but are more attracted to new and novel varieties. It also brings more versatility to Hellmann’s by giving shoppers additional choices when making food at home, increasing the likelihood that they add it to meals and preparations they previously would not have.
The flavored mayonnaise market is estimated at $210 million, according to Circana data provided by Unilever.
“The launch of our flavored mayonnaise portfolio … has certainly enabled us to increase the relevancy of our brand, particularly among younger cohorts and consumers,” Chris Symmes, Unilever’s head of marketing, dressings and condiments in North America, said in an interview. Without it, it “could have been a lost opportunity to be in more people’s households with products that are relevant to them.”
Flavored mayonnaise has seen “significant growth” at Unilever, with sales “almost doubling” in 2023, according to Symmes. They have proven to be a boon for classic Hellmann’s Real, too, with up to 70% of buyers who purchase a flavored mayonnaise also grabbing a jar of the original.
Chris Symmes, Unilever’s head of marketing, dressings and condiments in North AmericaPermission granted by Unilever
Hellmann’s traces its roots back to 1905 when German immigrant Richard Hellmann opened a deli in New York City and began using his wife’s mayonnaise recipe in salads. The mayonnaise became so popular that Hellmann began selling it.
Today, the brand posts more than $2 billion (2 billion euros) in annual sales globally. It’s especially popular in the U.S, with Hellmann’s found in about half of all households.
Hellmann’s debuted its first two flavored mayonnaise offerings about a decade ago in the UK. But for several years, those were the only ones on the market.
The brand launched its first flavored item in the U.S. in 2022 with Spicy as part of an accelerated rollout around the world. It now sells 20 flavor varieties globally. In the U.S. alone, Hellmann’s has five flavored mayonnaise options: Chipotle; Spicy; Chili Lime made with Tajin; Italian Herb and Garlic; and Garlic Aioli.
Unilever is constantly mulling over data and visiting trade shows, including Fancy Food last June, to identify trends that could be candidates for flavored mayonnaise, Symmes noted. Chipotle, for example, was picked because it was trending among millennials. Unilever decided to promote its Spicy mayonnaise by pairing it with the chicken sandwich, a food that also was popular among this demographic.
Symmes said the pace of new launches “will likely slow down” as Hellmann’s takes time to “support, nurture and build up” the flavored mayonnaise products already in the market.
Despite the recent success of the flavored mayonnaise, he said it’s unlikely to overtake the original Real which commands the lion’s share of the brand’s sales.
”There’s definitely room to grow flavored mayo within the Hellmann’s franchise for years to come,” Symmes said. “But it is unlikely that it will be the same size as our [Hellmann’s] Real with regard to our total portfolio just given how massive and well-established our Real business is.”