The Mystery Of The Real American Mayo Pricing

[Jingthing]

OK, in Villa recently.

Kraft foods real American mayo. Seemingly imported from the US. About 100 baht.

Similar size. Best food's real American mayo. Also seemingly imported. About 200 baht.

What the MAYO is going on here?

OK, so Best Foods is more iconic, but double the price?

I checked the ingredients. Almost identical.

Maybe Kraft is actually made in Malaysia but branded as a US import?

Who can solve this pressing MAYO mystery?

BTW, don't suggest I buy cheap Thai mayo. That's disgusting. The Kraft tastes fine to me and also REAL, as advertised.

Edited September 18, 2010 by Jingthing

[thaigerd]

Same for me: KRAFT

Gerd

[onnut]

Make your own Mayonnaise, its very easy and at least you know what is inside it. also it would cost much much less than buying it.

the only problem with making your own, you do need to find good eggs.

[Michaelaway]

I think Kraft is the only mayo sold in Pattaya that tastes good.

[bonobo]

I am a die-hard Miracle Whip guy, and I buy that from the stores.  And while I like Kraft just fine, time spent in the Netherlands and Belgium has sort of spoiled me, so when I want mayo, I tend to make it myself.  But if I do use commercial mayo, it is always Kraft.

[Jingthing]

Tastes are funny that way. I hate Miracle Whip, you couldn't pay me to eat that stuff, but on the other hand a mayonnaise made by a French chef, bring it on. In the meantime, commercial REAL American mayo is good enough for jazz (and tuna salad).

Edited September 18, 2010 by Jingthing

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Jing - I think that was a Villa aberration. I've never bought mayo at Villa, as I think it's cheaper at Tesco, Makro and Carrefour. The usual price differential between Kraft and Best Foods is about 10 baht, with Kraft being more expensive. Maybe that jar of Best Foods actually was imported from the US?

In the U.S., I preferred Best Foods. Here in Thailand, I prefer Kraft. The Kraft sold in Thailand is whiter, which I like for making salads. I don't think the taste is that much different between the two. I would buy Thai mayo, but they add sugar to it, which ruins sandwiches.

BTW - making your own isn't a bad suggestion.

[jazzbo]

Home-made mayonnaise is fine but you will never achieve the texture of Hellman's or Best Foods as in America -- it is made with proprietary equipment that is considered trade secret -- Friends of mine used to run a natural / organic salad dressing business in the USA and they investigated developing a mayonnaise product ... after their research the idea was abandoned for the above reason.

[glassdude007]

Hellman's is the best selling Mayo in USA bar none the rest are cheap Imputations....

Now i was told buy a long time Thai\Asian cook\resident that....

Best Foods & Hellman's are one in the same.....so on that fact alone i buy Hellmans....

All Kraft products Exept there Boxed Macaroni and cheese are second rate in USA...

kojai caap...

[jazzbo]

The only commercial mayonnaise IMHO comparable to (and maybe even better than) Hellman's is Duke's only avaiable in the SouthEast USA (Since 1917).

[David006]

Hellman's is the best selling Mayo in USA bar none the rest are cheap Imputations....

Now i was told buy a long time Thai\Asian cook\resident that....

Best Foods & Hellman's are one in the same.....so on that fact alone i buy Hellmans....

All Kraft products Exept there Boxed Macaroni and cheese are second rate in USA...

kojai caap...

Amazin' the things you find out on TV!!

Went to BF web site and they say that Helman's is sold mainly in eastern US and BF in the west..

Always use BF in Thailand and did in Canada and OZ..never tried Kraft as the ex would never buy it..can't remember why..

Bought BF in Tesco two days ago ...think it was about 150 baht? Certainly not 200...

[powderpuff]

Pop over to Foodland & compare prices there.

[NanaFoods]

Hellman's is the best selling Mayo in USA bar none the rest are cheap Imputations....

Now i was told buy a long time Thai\Asian cook\resident that....

Best Foods & Hellman's are one in the same.....so on that fact alone i buy Hellmans....

All Kraft products Exept there Boxed Macaroni and cheese are second rate in USA...

kojai caap...

"Best Foods® is known as Hellmann's® east of the Rockies."

http://www.bestfoods.com/

From another site:

Different ingredients

Hellmann's and Best Foods are not identical in taste. Hellmann's is slightly sweeter and Best Foods is more tangy.

The company's FAQ says:

[Question:] What is the difference between Hellmann's and Best Foods?

[Answer:] The products are basically the same. Both trademarks evolved simultaneously -- Hellmann's in the East and Best Foods in the West. Taste preferences vary; some people find that Best Foods mayonnaise is slightly more tangy.

This means that Hellmann's may contain a little more sugar and a little less lemon juice than Best Foods, although both contain the same ingredients and in the same relative quantities. The Hellmann's Mayonnaise ingredients label shows that it contains the following ingredients, which are listed in the quantity order in which they occur:

Soybean oil, whole eggs, vinegar, water, egg yolks, salt, sugar, lemon juice, natural flavors, calcium disodium EDTA (used to protect quality).

The Best Foods Mayonnaise ingredients label shows that it contains the following ingredients, which are listed in the quantity order in which they occur:

Soybean oil, whole eggs, vinegar, water, egg yolks, salt, sugar, lemon juice, natural flavors, calcium disodium EDTA (used to protect quality).

Therefore, although the two brands have the same ingredients in the same relative order, they are not exactly the same and taste slightly different.

Invention of mayonnaise

At the start of the Seven Years War (1756-1763), the French attacked the English-held Fort St. Philip, at Port Mahon, which was the capital of the island of Minorca. The attack was a joint operation by the French army, which was under the command of Duke Richelieu (duc de Richelieu), and the infantry regiment de la March, which was under the command of Colonel Rochambeau (later comte de Rochambeau).

Rochambeau flawlessly directed the siege artillery, which was vital to the capture of Fort St. Philip. Following the victory, Rochambeau was appointed brigadier general and received the Chevalier de St. Louis in 1756. In celebration, Richelieu held a banquet to honor Rochambeau and the victory.

The banquet included a new sauce, which was invented by Richelieu's chef. Some say that the chef intended to make a standard sauce of cream and eggs, but that he could find no cream. Others say that the chef planned from the beginning to invent a new sauce. Whatever the reason, the chef made a new sauce with olive oil and eggs, rather than cream and eggs, and a new sauce was born.

In honor of the victory at Port Mahon, the sauce was called Mahonnaise. Only later was the spelling changed to mayonnaise.

Company history

The two brands are owned by the same company but they have different histories.

In 1905, Richard Hellmann, a German immigrant, opened a delicatessen in New York City. The shop sold salads, which included his wife's mayonnaise. The mayonnaise itself became popular, so Hellmann began to sell it separately.

In California, a company called Best Foods, Inc. introduced its mayonnaise, which became very successful throughout the West.

In 1932, Best Foods, Inc. merged with Richard Hellmann, Inc. From then to the present day, Hellmann's Mayonnaise has been sold east of the Rockies, and Best Foods Mayonnaise has been sold in the West.

From the Best Foods web site:

What is real mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise, as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Standard of Identity, must contain at least 65% oil by weight, vinegar, and egg or egg yolks. It may contain spices and natural seasonings except turmeric and saffron, whose yellow color might suggest added egg yolk. Preservatives such as calcium disodium EDTA are acceptable and approved for use in mayonnaise.

Why isn't there a Best Foods® fat-free mayonnaise?

Initial product formulas have not met the high standards of taste, texture, and performance set by the company and consumers.

What type of vinegar is used in Best Foods® Mayonnaise? Is it gluten-free?

The vinegar used in Best Foods® Mayonnaise is distilled vinegar made from distilled alcohol and is gluten-free.

Are the Best Foods® Mayonnaise jars vacuum sealed?

No, the Best Foods® Mayonnaise jars are not vacuum sealed.

What is the difference between Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise?

The products are basically the same. Both trademarks evolved simultaneously - Hellmann's® in the East and Best Foods® in the West. Taste preferences vary; some people find that Best Foods® Mayonnaise is slightly more tangy.

This discussion seems to come up from time to time.

Actually, I found the Tesco Mayonnaise to have only 1% sugar. Which when I compared, is about the same percentage, or less, than that of Best Foods, which in Thai states "less than 2%", as I recall. Tesco's is not sweet-tasting, and the price is right -- although I don;t see lemon juice in the ingredients. If you like it more "tangy" it's quite easy to add a squirt of lemon juice.

I don't usually slather on the mayo whenever I do use it; I tend to use it sparingly. So any refinements of processing that Best Foods may have in propriety, are completely lost on me. And, actually, I prefer it not so tangy and not sweet. For this reason, I am also in the camp "no Miracle Whip for me". Never could stomach that stuff, even as a kid.

And when I make Chicken Divan at home, I find the Tesco Mayonnaise to work just splendidly, as the recipe I have calls for lemon juice anyway, so any differences there with Best Foods is moot.

I am referring to the Tesco Mayonnaise with a picture of a sandwich on the front, and yellow side labeling where the text is. Barcode is 8-853447-030381. (there is another Tesco mayo that has a lot more sugar, 5% - Asian style it seems; light blue ink (i think) where the yellow is on the one I am suggesting).

[bonobo]

Yes, tastes do vary.  Love Miracle Whip for most applications such as sandwiches and the like.  I make Hawaiian Pork burgers here in Thailand, for example, and the MW is a much better condiment for that than Mayo.

But for dipping fries, I use mayo, and for many recipes.  I was wondering why I don't use Hellmans when that was mentioned above, but from the subsequent posts, I can see now that it isn't much available in the western US.  Learn something new every day. 

 Kraft works fine for the recipes, but for dipping fries, home made is much, much better.

[Jingthing]

Jing - I think that was a Villa aberration. I've never bought mayo at Villa, as I think it's cheaper at Tesco, Makro and Carrefour. The usual price differential between Kraft and Best Foods is about 10 baht, with Kraft being more expensive. Maybe that jar of Best Foods actually was imported from the US?

In the U.S., I preferred Best Foods. Here in Thailand, I prefer Kraft. The Kraft sold in Thailand is whiter, which I like for making salads. I don't think the taste is that much different between the two. I would buy Thai mayo, but they add sugar to it, which ruins sandwiches.

BTW - making your own isn't a bad suggestion.

I think I recall pretty much the exact same strange pricing differential at TOPS. I'll check next time I'm there.

[lomatopo]

Not sure what "seemingly imported" means? Just look at the label. At Foodland, Kraft is a bit more expensive than Best Foods (105 baht vs. 95 baht for the same size; not sure where the Kraft mayo is produced). Best Foods mayonnaise is produced by Unilever Thai in Chachoengsao. Best deal is to buy it in the bag.

I bring back a 30 oz. Hellmans each trip.

I doubt any mayonnaise is imported from the U.S.A., other than what I bring.

[Jingthing]

Both bottles had a US address on the label and no Thai address info. I don't know what else anyone could go in without doing research.

[RudieTheFoodie]

Foodland Soi 16

Kraft 95bt

Best Foods 84bt

[Jingthing]

Foodland Soi 16

Kraft 95bt

Best Foods 84bt

I am certain there are TWO KINDS of Best foods mayo on the market here at SOME stores. I also saw a cheaper Best foods version. But my report stands.

[powderpuff]

Saw where Hellman's has been bought out by the POM's. (Unilever). It's a feeding frenzy in that sector.

[Jingthing]

OK, I checked again in Villa and I believe their prices are similar to Tops.

Best made in Thailand, looks very different than USA Best, (Thai style mayo), under 100 baht

Best USA explicitly says it is a US import, about 200 baht

Kraft "Global" USA address on the label but refers to Kraft Global, doesn't explicitly say where it is made, about 100 baht, USA style mayo for sure

Hellmans low fat, about 250 baht, imported from the UK

OK, maybe this is the big clue. Since Kraft global which is still USA style mayo (good stuff) does not explicitly say it is a US import, good chance it isn't, thus explaining the price being much cheaper.

Remember not all markets are going to have the choices of Villa, so Villa is actually a good place to price compare what is possible to buy in Thailand, mayo-wise.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[Bizz]

Tastes are funny that way. I hate Miracle Whip, you couldn't pay me to eat that stuff, but on the other hand a mayonnaise made by a French chef, bring it on. In the meantime, commercial REAL American mayo is good enough for jazz (and tuna salad).

same here and hate Marmite also.

make my own mayo like to add herbs also.

All you need are two large egg yolks, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of white pepper, and 1 cup oil. I ran out of lemon juice last night (I just keep running out of ingredients), so I used about 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. I also froze the two large egg whites in ice cube trays for later use. For the oil, I used extra light olive oil because of its very faint (almost nonexistant) flavor and nutritional and health properties.

I put the yolks, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into my mixing bowl and whisked until smooth and light. I then whisked the oil, a few drops at a time, into the mixture. I made sure the mixture was smooth and well integrated before pouring the next few drops of oil. The whisking will suspend the oil into the yolk mixture and adding the oil a little at a time will keep the mixture in a state of emulsion - which is what we want.

[jazzbo]

... what you also want is known as a 'colloidal suspension' and while homemade mayonnaise with a whisk is fine, you will never get to texture of Hellman's with such equipment.

[neverdie]

Should of at least been a 'Poll' to determine which people like what mayo, afterall one of the basic's to any pricing issue would be the old laws of 'Supply & Demand'.