Has Hellmann’s mayonnaise been discontinued – or is it a scam?

Hellmann’s mayonnaise has been a hotly-debated talking point for a few weeks in South Africa. Was it ever actually discontinued though?

As was widely reported, Hellmann’s mayonnaise was said to have been discontinued in late January 2023 due to ‘low consumer demand’.

It joined a growing list of recently discontinued products in South Africa.

Redro Fish Spread and Peck’s Anchovette, along with Cadbury’s Tempo, Chocolate Log and Simba’s All-Gold Tomato Sauce Chips are all a thing of the past.

But Hellmann’s mayo appears to have taken a defiant stance against its farewell.

The South African website’s James Freemantle digs deeper.

If you’re a Cape Town conspiracy theorist then surely you’ve already started considering the possibility that we might have been tricked over Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

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HELLMANN’S MAYONNAISE STILL ABUNDANT IN STORES

Conventional large tubs of Hellmann’s mayo previously stocked in stores weighed 789g.

To put that number into perspective, this massive tub I’ve just stumbled upon is 4.52 times that size.

Or, in more relatable terms, it’s the weight of a pretty average newborn child.

I found these gigantic tubs at a popular deli in Green Point, Cape Town, and now all sorts of theories are swirling around my head.

Just yesterday, Spar had a full shelf of 789g tubs, being sold at a noticeable mark-up.

What is happening? Are we being swindled? Is that new packaging? Are they really discontinuing the product or just saying they are to spike sales, and then reintroducing it?

MAYO RISING LIKE THE PHOENIX

If you had asked me what the biggest comeback story of 2023 was going to be, I wouldn’t have said Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

Well, it’s popping up all over Cape Town now despite its imminent discontinuation.

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The issue isn’t whether you can find Hellmann’s mayonnaise, the real question is whether it was ever discontinued in the first place.