03/24/2025
This better not change!!!
A Broken Condiment Heart
It’s been a hot topic the last few days—and now it’s official.
We’ve reached the end of a mayonnaise era.
Duke’s, my all-time favorite mayo and a brand I’ve sworn by for as long as I can remember, has officially sold out.
Here’s a little history on our beloved Southern staple—and what the future may hold.
A New Chapter for Duke’s. On February 19, it was announced that Sauer Brands, the longtime parent company of Duke’s Mayonnaise and previously owned by Falfurrias Capital Partners, has been acquired by Boston-based Advent International.
The terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the news marks a major change for the iconic brand.
A Look Back: The Duke’s Mayonnaise Story
* 1881: Eugenia Thomas is born in Columbus, Georgia—the 10th of 10 children.
* 1900: At 19, she marries Harry Duke.
* 1910: The couple moves to Greenville, SC, where Harry works for Southern Power Co.
* 1917: Eugenia starts selling sandwiches—featuring her homemade mayo—to soldiers at Fort Sevier for 10 cents each, earning 2 cents profit per sandwich.
* 1918: After selling 11,000 sandwiches, she buys her first delivery truck.
* 1920: She expands to drugstores and local groceries, and begins serving sandwiches at the Ottaray Hotel's "Duke’s Tea Room" in downtown Greenville.
* 1923: Salesman C.B. Boyd suggests bottling the mayonnaise—an idea that takes off. Eugenia leaves the sandwich game to focus solely on her mayo.
* 1926: Duke’s outgrows her home operation and moves production to a full-fledged plant.
* 1929: On February 9, Eugenia sells her business to the C.F. Sauer Company, staying on as a key salesperson while Sauer takes the reins on growing the brand.
From humble beginnings to a pantry essential in homes across the South and beyond, Duke’s has always stood for bold flavor and homemade roots.
Let’s hope the new owners honor that legacy. Because for many of us, Duke’s isn’t just mayonnaise—it’s a tradition.
