You have to break some eggs to make an omelet — and, according to a lawsuit from the maker of Hellmann’s, the same goes for mayonnaise.
The food company Unilever is suing a California company that uses the word “Mayo” in its sandwich spread name, saying that federal regulators and dictionaries define mayonnaise as a spread that contains eggs.
The lawsuit claims false advertising by the company Hampton Creek for labeling its plant-based product Just Mayo. Unilever says in a complaint filed in federal court that the word “mayo” implies that the product is mayonnaise, and Just Mayo is “stealing market share from Hellmann’s.”
Hampton Creek CEO Josh Tetrick said his company isn’t trying to mislead consumers. It is focused on using plants to help make everyday food products better.
