The Unilever-owned American Mayo brand, Hellmann's, is pulling back from the South African market due to low demand on top of "highly inflationary import costs". Starting today, the creamy mayo is being discontinued in South African markets and will no longer be seen on store shelves or online. However, it'll still be available in the United States.
Inflation has resulted in a hike in import and export costs across the world. From food brands to cosmetics, almost every industry has been facing similar difficulties. Considering the low demand of the product in the South African market, the company had to make the tough decision in order to save itself from the "highly inflationary import costs".
The Unilever-owned Mayo brand, Hellmann's, is displayed on shelves in a grocery store (Image via Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hellmann's shared the news of its discontinuation in the South African markets through a Facebook post, stating:
"It’s hard to say goodbye to delicious Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. But, due to high inflationary import costs, we will regretfully be discontinuing Hellmann’s until further notice. A big thanks to our loyal fans for all the mayo love over the years." How did the internet react to the confusing news of Hellmann's discontinuation?The post, which seems to have been removed from Hellmann's Facebook page, was a bit confusing as the brand didn't mention that it was discontinuing the mayo in South African markets. Though it might be momentary, the confusion has already left many Americans in a state of panic and they have started sharing their disbelief on social media.
With Hellmann's being one of the most beloved Mayo brands in the country, even a small rumor of its discontinuation is sure to leave the masses in a frenzy. As people across the country came across the post, feelings of disbelief, regret, and disillusionment started pouring in on social media.
Hellmann's is one of the most beloved Mayo brands in the United States (Image via Bloomberg/Getty Images)
A user on Twitter shared the news of the brand 'going out of business.' This, despite the fact that Hellmann's is only discontinuing its products in the South African market until further notice, and is not going out of business.
Another user shared a tweet saying the discontinuation was not on their 'bingo list' for the year.
Though there was monetary confusion for customers in the United States, the fact that Hellman's Mayo has been discontinued is a hard truth for South Americans. Disappointed by the news, a user shared their feelings with their followers on Twitter.
Another user shared similar disappointment, saying that the Unilever-owned Mayo brand was the only good thing they had.
Trying to inform their followers about the discontinuation being limited to the South African Markets, another user shared an informative tweet.
The confusion seems to be on the rise, and people may have even started panick-buying the product. But to put it in clear words, Unilever is not discontinuing Hellman's brand of mayo in the United States.
The discontinuation is limited to South African markets and does not affect the supply or sales of the beloved mayo in any other market. Americans will still be able to enjoy their favorite mayo with all the food of their choice, so they don't need to panick-buy the mayo.
Edited by Sayati Das
Thank You!
