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Unless it was used to yield the crispiest and most luxurious grilled cheese sandwiches, mayonnaise used to be an ingredient I rarely reached for. That was before I started developing recipes for Marley Spoon (a meal-kit service) in Germany. One of the first things I learned about cooking in Europe is that Europeans love saucy meals. And due to the budget and packaging constraints of a meal-kit service, we weren’t always able to develop sauces from scratch.
That’s when mayonnaise started to creep its way into more and more of my recipes. Slowly but surely, the fatty, eggy condiment that used to give me the ick emerged as a super versatile ingredient, one that not only imparts tangy flavor but also richness and depth in a dish. Need an easy sauce to drizzle over fish tacos? Just mix chipotle with some mayo. What about something to round out a grain bowl? Again, the answer is mayo.
In the Marley Spoon test kitchen in Berlin, there was one mayo brand that reigned supreme: Hellmann’s. It’s not surprising. Hellmann’s is a beloved brand among countless culinary professionals, from fine dining restaurants to celebrity cooks like Julia Child and Martha Stewart. Even the Allrecipes community called it the best mayo in stores. While other brands like Duke’s and Kewpie are also popular, Hellmann’s culinary influence is hard to ignore.
When I discovered that Costco's highest-rated mayo is not Hellmann's, I had to do a double-take. It wasn't Hellmann's, but it featured the same navy and yellow brand colors, same typeface, same "Bring Out the Best" tagline, and even the same two eggs are shown smack dab in the center of the label. The only discernible difference between this label and Hellmann's is the name—this one is called Best Foods.
Is Best Foods the Same as Hellmann's?
It appears that Best Foods and Hellmann's are indeed the same brand and are both owned by Unilever. However, Hellmann's is the name used for regions east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. Best Foods, on the other hand, is what's used west of the Rocky Mountains, East and Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. So, how did we end up with two identical products that are sold under different names depending on where you are in the world?
Best Foods / Hellmann's / Allrecipes
According to lore, Richard Hellmann emigrated from Vetschau, Germany to New York City in the early 20th century, where he opened a deli in 1905. It was around this time that he developed a recipe for an already-made mayo. It became so popular that he had to close shop and open a factory to keep up with the demand, selling under the name Hellmann's Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise.
While Hellmann's was the mayo of choice on the East Coast, there was another company called Best Foods that was producing mayo and other condiments that were widely popular on the West Coast. Best Foods bought Hellmann's in 1927 and because both brands were already household names in their respective regions, the company decided to keep the names and recipes unaltered.
These days, if you take a look at the ingredients list and nutrition facts for both products, they are nearly identical, which begs the question, do they taste the same?
Best Foods Vs. Hellmann's
Now that I live on the West Coast, Hellmann's feels like a distant memory. It hadn't even occurred to me that Hellmann's is only available east of the Rockies, but it's true—the grocery aisles of Seattle are lined with Best Foods Real Mayonnaise.
While a side-by-side test would be the best way to gauge how similar the two products are, I have to admit that comparing Best Foods against my memory of Hellmann’s, there doesn’t seem to be a detectable difference. Much like Hellmann’s, Best Foods possesses a custardy and delicate mouthfeel with a pop of acidity that’s perfect for brightening any dish and boosting it with flavor.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
And I’m not alone in thinking that. Take a look at the nearly 2000 5-star reviews on Costco’s webpage and you’ll find that people who love one brand or the other use them interchangeably. “THE Best Mayo. Period. Ask any chef: it’s Best Foods in the West and Hellmann’s in the East- same excellent product, different name,” wrote one fan.
"I have used Best Foods mayonnaise forever and would not consider using another brand other than Hellmann's when I am east of the Mississippi," raved another.
One Costco shopper simply wrote, "If it is Hellmann's or Best Food it is good" and I couldn't agree more.
25 Top-Rated Recipes Made Delectable with Mayonnaise
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