30 October, 2009

Hellmann's Mayonnaise With Lime

I haven't bought much Hellmann's mayonnaise since Unilever changed the formula in 2006 (making it somewhat blander and sweeter - thanks, Unilever, overnight you changed Hellmann's from my favorite mayo to just another jar of sticky white slop) but when I saw Hellmann's Mayonesa con jugo de limón at the local Shaw's, I decided to give it a try.

The product was eye-catching in several ways:
  • The labeling color scheme is different; there is an orange band along the bottom of the label, and the jar cap is bright orange instead of Hellmann's "blue ribbon" blue.
  • There's a big illustration of a lime on the front
  • And, most interestingly, the labeil is in Spanish as well as English. I hardly ever see this kind of marketing unless I'm in an Hispanic market. And none of the other Hellmann's varieties in Shaw's are bilingually labeled. Because I'm basically a cynical bastard, I suspect that Hellmann's/Unilever's marketing department made a decision like this:

Regardless of how I feel about a marketing ploy which might very well be a product of my fevered imagination, I have to admit that where it counts - taste and texture - Hellmann's with Lime is pretty decent stuff. The lime juice does taste different than the standard lemon - a tad sharper, closer to the late, lamented original formula - without being really "limey." I approve.
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4 comments:

Eating The Road said...

Haha, that's great.

Interesting, I bet I'd enjoy it too. I'll keep an eye out for this.

What do you typically use now?

Dave said...

Believe it or not, we use the Price/Rite store brand, about as close to a generic as you can find without the jar having a plain white label that says MAYONNAISE in block letters across the front.

There are also a couple brands, still put up in glass jars no less, imported from Poland and available at Russian markets in my area which are excellent. Unfortunately, I don't get out to those particular shops often enough.

Me said...

I stumbled upon your blog while doing a search to see what to do with my blue hubbard squash. After following your advice for that, which worked out quite nice THANK YOU!, I have ventured out among your other posts. This one is very informative and funny~
so we will have to try it. We too have not liked the changed Hellmann's so we are excited that we can use mayo again. Maybe my saddlebags won't be appreciative but we'll over look that!
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

On Hellmans Mayonaisa con Limon et al;

The stores here in the Bay Area have dropped this 'orange top' type and I thought it was discontinued.

Apparently the target market wasn't responding and the 'gringos' buy the fake stuff.

I make a plain '50s style avocado dip; Just a half Hass avocado and a rounded tablespoon of mayo cut-in with a wire dough cutter and not a thing else.

I found that McCormicks markets a mayonaisa that has chili mixed in for bite.

Haven't tried it but suspect it will make a fine quacamole for chips.