Lawsuits

Hellmann’s Calls Off Its Legal Attack on Vegan ‘Mayonnaise’

Big Mayo shares the vegan company's
Big Mayo shares the vegan company’s “vision of a more sustainable world.” Photo: Courtesy of Hampton Foods

Hellmann’s manufacturer Unilever has killed its false-advertising lawsuit against the maker of eggless spread Just Mayo, and just in time for holiday deviled egg season at that. You may recall that the multinational company had argued Just Mayo was doing “serious irreparable harm ” by “falsely communicating” the nature of its product, which perhaps convinced meat-eaters to eat vegan stuff. The official FDA definition of what it means to be mayonnaise was invoked, and in general, the ugly specter of a looming legal battle over condiments upset the normally peaceful world of the sandwich-eating public.

That’s all over now, and coincidentally, Hampton Creek yesterday announced it had closed on a new funding round worth $90 million. Just Mayo executive Josh Tetrick says he’s not planning to change the wording on his labels, and while Unilever seems to think the company will still have trouble hashing things out with federal regulators, the food producer seems committed to convincing everyone they’re not holding any grudges. Unilever even declared the two share a “vision of a more sustainable world.” Start spreading the news.

[AP]

Hellmann’s Calls Off Its Legal Attack on Vegan ‘Mayonnaise’