Southerners RAGE As Duke’s Mayo Is Sold To Northern Private Equity Firm

Andrew Mies·
CULTURE
·
Duke's Mayo

It’s a sad day for southerners and their ultra-beloved mayonnaise brand.

Some people may only know of Duke’s Mayo from the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, which culminates with the coach taking not a Gatorade bath, but a Duke’s Mayo bath…

Roll the tape:

Personally, I’d recently made the executive decision to switch my household over to Duke’s for the simple reason that it’s delicious and clearly better than the Hellman’s I’d grown up with. I’d never heard of Duke’s until 8 or so years back when I lived in North Carolina for a few months and literally every local asked if I’d tried three things yet: Bojangles, Cheerwine, and Duke’s Mayo.

Duke’s is the third biggest mayonnaise brand in America though it’s presence is mainly confined to the south (showing yet again how much southerners love it and use it). It was founded in Greenville, South Carolina back in 1917 when Eugenia Duke and her daughter Martha began selling sandwiches at YMCA sponsored Army canteens. The soldiers loved it so much they began bottling and selling their secret formula and a southern tradition was born, with the “It’s Got Twang!” tagline becoming a staple of grocers throughout Dixie.

But sad news broke recently when it was announced that Duke’s Mayo had been sold. Already that’s cause enough for concern, but who it was sold to and where they’re located has southerners raging…

Shipping Up To Boston

A quiet press release on February 19th was how the deal was first announced.

Sauer Brands Inc. (owners of Duke’s) informed the public that they had been acquired by Advent International, a private equity investor. The terms were not disclosed but everyone knows that’s not a good thing if they want it to maintain the quality and brand it’s known for… Private equity firms sole modus operandi tends to be reducing spend to the absolute of minimums, replacing parts (in this case, ingredients) with cheaper, lower quality items, and having the lone goal of returning capital to shareholders at the expense of everything else.

As if that wasn’t insulting enough to the people of the South, Advent International is located way up north in Yankee country. Boston, Massachusetts to be specific.

On the acquisition, Managing Partner of Advent Tricia Glynn said:

“We are thrilled to welcome Sauer Brands into our portfolio and build upon the success the Company has already achieved to date. Our aspirations are to enable even more consumers to discover and fall in love with Sauer’s brands, including Duke’s Mayo, Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa and Kernel Season’s.”

The press release goes on to say they are looking forward to implementing an “ambitious growth strategy”, which again nearly guarantees the localized brand will be commercialized and financialized to pieces in the name of a larger bottom line.

Southerners Are Furious About The Deal

It should come as no surprise that the people of the south are horrified that they’re beloved company, one that’s been around since their grandpappies’ pappies were around, are horrified that it’s now in the hands of money-hungry northerners.

Take a look at some of the commentary now that news of this purchase has hit the mainstream:

The comments just keep piling in…

Even though I’m a Pennsylvania guy through and through, I’ve come to love Duke’s Mayo and go out of my way to buy it and use it whenever possible. This is a sad day for me, mainly because I truly believe that most private equity is a scourge on this country, but also because it most likely marks the end of the brand as we know it. Regional food is one of the few things that truly separates different parts of the country at this point. Practically every city is just the same chains and strip malls, every new car is virtually identical, apartments everywhere look alike… we’re losing the best parts of, shall I say, diversity that actually made this country cool.

You shouldn’t be able to bounce around from state to state and live the exact same lifestyle, eating at the same places, and doing the same things. What’s the point of having states at all if everything everywhere is no different?

This is a symptom of a large problem in America today, and though it’s really just a mayonnaise company, I’m happy to see the public outcry, even though it will do no good.

Godspeed, Duke’s Mayo. Fingers crossed Advent International doesn’t screw you up.

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