The World's Best Mayo Is Coming For Hellmann's
The expansion of Kewpie marks a rise in the popular mayonnaise brand's popularity.
Mayonnaise might seem like a simple condiment, but there's a whole wide world of it out there. I'm partial to major American brands such as like Hellmann's, Duke's, and Kraft, but the one mayonnaise I always have on hand is the Japanese brand Kewpie. It's rich, savory, and makes whatever it touches more delicious. It turns out Americans are starting to get the message, because Clarksville Now reports that Kewpie is building a new plant in Montgomery County, Tennessee, to expand its U.S. presence.
What makes Kewpie mayo great
We're big fans of Kewpie at The Takeout and always have been. While we know mayo is not for everyone, Kewpie is a special condiment for a few reasons.
First of all, it's composed of egg yolks, which contribute to that rich and luxurious feel. Second of all, Kewpie's original Japanese formula uses MSG, which dials up mayo's background umami flavors—though it's worth noting that the version manufactured in the U.S. does not contain that ingredient. We still love the Stateside stuff anyway. (And you can still buy the Japanese stuff here, too—just look for the Japanese labeling at your local Asian supermarket.)
Why Kewpie is expanding in the United States
Kewpie doesn't just make mayonnaise. If you visit your local Asian specialty store, you'll find a whole lineup of salad dressings as well, from its deep-roasted sesame variety to a Caesar dressing to those with a soy sauce base. The internet has great things to say about all of them.
The expansion to Tennessee is part of a $65.2 million push to upgrade Kewpie's operations in America. The new plant will provide 85 jobs to start, a drop in the bucket of Kewpie's 10,700 employees worldwide (which just goes to show that its products are globally popular).
As for how to use it, well, this one's pretty easy: Just reach for it whenever you use regular mayonnaise. Squeeze it onto sandwiches, use it in egg salad (this may be my favorite everyday use for it), turn it into a dressing, make a sauce with it, put it on ice cream—go nuts.
Kewpie is slightly thinner than the typical American varieties of mayo, but don't let the texture fool you, because its flavor is wonderful and rich. If and when you see that soft, squeezable bottle on the shelf adorned with the little baby doll mascot, pop it into your shopping cart and you'll never look back.