Danny Palumbo
In the world of mayonnaise, everyone knows that Hellmann’s has a presence on the East Coast, while Best Foods is what you’ll find on the West Coast. Regardless, they’re made by the same company and are the same product. Or at least that’s what has long been taken for granted about these two mayo heavyweights. The products even feature the same ingredients in the same listed, quantitative order. So, they have to taste the same … right?
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Just a brief recap here: Hellmann’s and Best Foods feature the same lettering, font, blue ribbon packaging, and, heck, even the same tagline, “Bring Out The Best.” Both products are made in the same factory. But how did that come about? Well, Richard Hellmann made the iconic Hellmann’s mayonnaise way back in 1905 after opening up his own delicatessen in New York City. The mayonnaise had so much success that he eventually had to quit the deli and open up his own factory to mass produce the stuff.
Eventually, Hellmann became a packaged food bigwig, serving on the board of General Foods for a number of years. By 1932, after a few mergers and whatnot, Hellmann’s mayo and popular West Coast mayo brand Best Foods were owned by the same company. Best Foods adopted Hellmann’s popular blue ribbon packaging for its own in 1968, and, to this day, Hellmann’s reigns supreme east of the Rockies, while Best Foods is what you’ll find on grocery store shelves west of the Rockies.
Now, this is where things get tricky. Some people claim that Best Foods kept each brand’s mayonnaise recipe unaltered, while others suggest that they assimilated into one singular recipe. We attempted to get to the bottom of this the old fashioned way: We tasted them side by side. What did we find? Unless our palates deceive us, these two mayos taste different.
I brought in Mythical Kitchen’s Chef-in-Chief Josh Scherer for this taste test, and I was delighted by how much it broke his brain. At first, Josh said they tasted exactly the same. But then he (correctly, I think) ascertained that Hellmann’s was like an “eggy pudding” and Best Foods had more tang to it. We all found, through a blindfolded taste test, that the two seemed to have distinct flavors and textures. Although the ingredients listed are the same, these two mayos don’t taste alike. Hell, they even look different. Unscrew the cap to both a jar of Best Foods and Hellmann’s, and you may notice that Hellmann’s has an eggier, more custard-like texture, while Best Foods is smoother. Why is that? I have an idea.
Here’s what the FAQ section of Best Foods’ website said back in 2003:
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.
Some people find Best Foods to be more tangy? To us, Best Foods is absolutely more tangy. To see if I could get more current info on the matter, I called up Hellmann’s/Best Foods and spoke to a mayonnaise representative (loved typing that out). “For proprietary reasons,” she told me, they don’t have to disclose the exact formula for each mayonnaise, and they chose not to. Instead, the mayo rep, a very nice woman whose name I forget, listed off each ingredient for both products, which are exactly the same. When I said, “Yes, but they taste noticeably different,” she said, “Well, taste is pretty subjective.”
That’s true, but I do this for a living, pal. And to my mind there’s nothing subjective about the contrast in flavor between these two mayonnaise icons. Here’s my theory: With Hellmann’s, you get more of the savory, eggy umami because less lemon juice is used. Hellmann’s is tangy but not so tangy that it feels brightly acidic. Best Foods, on the other hand, presumably uses more lemon juice, which makes it taste different and gives it a consistency that differs from the custard-like texture of Hellmann’s.
But which is better? Okay, that might be subjective, but we have to go Hellmann’s on this one. With less acid, you get to absorb more of that fatty, glorious decadence that is iconic to Hellmann’s mayonnaise. It’s why Hellmann’s landed at number one in our mayonnaise taste test, while Best Foods didn’t rank.
We obviously can’t say for sure whether the products are different (and the brands aren’t giving away any secrets), but it would certainly make sense if the company preserved the individual recipes. Best Foods’ parent company bought out Hellmann’s, kept the name, and eventually adopted the blue ribbon packaging—why on earth would they change Hellmann’s recipe? If their plan was to keep selling the popular Hellmann’s mayonnaise, changing the way it tastes wouldn’t make sense. Feel me? You don’t switch up the recipe for a dish everyone loves, right?
Here at Sporked, we get to the bottom of flavor. And as far as mayo goes, we say Hellmann’s is the king of flavor.
Jordan Myrick
Gwynedd Stuart
my grandma always used best food for her fantastic pot sal. if she had to she would send my grandpa to the store and he better not come home with some other brand or she would send him back so best foods has always been the best but i do feel that at times there is a difference in the taste i dont know if its in the manafracting or what but there is a difference at times
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Nice piece on Hellman’s vs. Best Foods. But your subjectivity, driven by scientific logic, may have led you astray. I just got back from Oahu, after sampling macaroni salad from every place I could during my visit. As you may know Hawaii has the best macaroni salad in the world (hehe). Every establishment I asked, said that they only have Best Foods mayo in their mac salad. And if you try all the mac salads on the island, the main takeaway is that they are smooth and non-acidic. It may be that they add something else to tame the acidity, but the ones who are willing to talk about, say its only mayo—Best Foods. So I’d say you need to do a bit more research on the difference between the two brands.
I grew up using Best Foods.. I went to Georgia where they had Hellmann’s. I did notice a difference in taste and texture. But I knew for years people have been telling me hey are the same. Fast forward a few decades and I moved to Europe (Ukraine). We have several mayo brands in squirt bag containers, some of them are excellent. I eventually for a store that had Hellmann’s, and eager to try the taste test…..hummm…. Ok Hellmann’s is a little more yellow than I remember and a little more creamy. One of my bagged mayo’s was actually better. I miss Best Foods and would love to have a jar here for taste testing. But we will buy Hellmann’s on occasion. But, in the end, the two do taste different and have a different consistency. Currently the best mayo I have had (Next to Best Foods) is (translated) Torchin European Mayonnaise 72%.
I buy Hellmann’s because of the great taste and thick richness. But the laste two jars are definitely smooth, creamy and sweet; like salad dressing, Miracle-whip, which I DO NOT like! At first I thought it was me but after Googling it, I see I’m not the only one. I surely hope this is just a glitch or you just trying to see if the customer would notice. Well this customer noticed. Please change it back. I’m too old to go shopping and experimenting for something new and really don’t feel like making my own for every salad or sandwich. “Bring out the Hellmann’s and bring out the best”! Please!
I think Best Foods that I have used for decades has changed its formula and does not taste the same at all. The taste and texture are both sub par to say the least and it alters the taste of everything I make. I for one hate the new Best Foods. They have ruined my mayonnaise!!!!!!!!
I agree. I used to love Best Foods and wanted it on everything though I disciplined myself not to overdue it. Now it tastes spoiled. I can’t even stand it. Can we get Hellman’s in California. They ruined my mayonaise too. Jennifer
Yes! I agree! I think they have too. I am in the west, and practically raised on Best foods. I am also a super taster, and I notice even the most subtle nuances of flavor change. And Best Foods has definitely changed its formula. I hardly detect any tangy-ness anymore. And actually had to add lemon juice to my sauce to make it taste right. My husband thought maybe it had expired and “gone off”, but nope, just bland. Mayne they were trying to make it taste more like hellmans? Not sure but I am switching to kraft…unless I agree the kirkland is better. I’m so sad. 😭
I have often thought that some of the bottles of best food I have gotten over the last several years have been spoiled. The taste is drastically different from the normal taste. Reading this article, I think I figured out whats the true cause. I believe, for whatever reason, they often slap the Best Foods label on the Hellmans. Maybe to fill orders or whatever. When I used to open up a jar, Id taste it. If it was not the normal flavor, I found it to be so gross I tossed the jar in the trash. Well its gotten to the point now, its a 50 / 50 shot if I get an normal flavored Best Foods. At the price of it, I have resorted to doing my taste test at the store. If its not the flavor it should be, I mark the top as opened and more onto the next. That is how drastically different the taste is.
Were your taste testers from the east coast or west coast originally? I have a theory that preference has a lot to do with what we grew up with because of nostalgia and that being our baseline to compare something else to.
My Publix in South FL just started selling Best Foods. I almost bought one to try it since it looks like the same on the outside. But Mayo is expensive and I only buy it when it’s buy one get one free. They better NOT stop selling Hellman’s! Should I stock up and hoard Hellman’s???