Source: Unilever
The Covid-19 lockdown has become even more dire for lovers of savory spreads when Peck’s anchovets and redrofish paste were discontinued and shelves were sparsely supplied with marmite.
Consumer goods giant Unilever has now confirmed that Hermann’s mayonnaise has been discontinued in South Africa. A staple in many home refrigerators, local grocery shoppers have found the seasoning difficult to come by for months.
biz community When asked about this, Unilever said in an e-mailed reply that “the product has been discontinued due to low consumer demand within South Africa and being delisted by a major retailer. Confirmed,” he said.
Woolworths confirmed it delisted the product in April 2022, but contrary to Unilever’s claims of low demand, Woolies said. biz community “Unilever has been unable to consistently supply Woolworths with Hellmann’s mayonnaise that meets customer demand.”
Meanwhile, Shoprite Group succinctly stated, “Unilever has notified Supermarket Group that it has stopped selling Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.”
Pick n Pay commented that “Hellmann’s was delisted by Unilever,” but the retailer assured customers that Pick n Pay was “already working on plans” to bring the product back to shelves. Did.
Hermann’s history
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise brand has been around for over 100 years.
German immigrant Richard Hermann moved to New York City and opened a delicatessen in 1903 with his wife Margaret. They soon realized that their homemade mayonnaise was so popular that they began selling it separately.
According to Unilever, the creamy condiment was initially sold by the gram in small batches made fresh daily. Mayonnaise was bought by local housewives and sold in small wooden boats. As demand increased, Richard Hellmann acquired the trademark “Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise” so that the small glass jars he began selling his mayonnaise underscored the quality of the product.
Over the years, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise expanded beyond the United States and became a household name around the world.
We hope to either reverse Unilever’s decision or go through another supplier and get the product back on local shelves soon.
