Duke's Mayonnaise
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | 1917 in Greenville, South Carolina, United States |
| Founder | Eugenia Duke |
| Headquarters | Mauldin, South Carolina , United States |
| Products | Mayonnaise and condiments |
| Owner | Falfurrias Capital Partners (via C.F. Sauer Company) |
| Parent | C.F. Sauer Company |
Duke's Mayonnaise is a condiment developed by Eugenia Duke in Greenville, South Carolina, dating back to 1917.
As the third most prominent mayonnaise brand in the United States, Duke's trails only behind Hellmann's and Kraft. Originally, its acclaim was largely restricted to the Southern region of the country. It has become an essential ingredient in traditional Southern recipes such as coleslaw, tomato sandwiches, deviled eggs, pimento cheese, and potato salad. Distinguished by a higher egg yolk content than standard mayonnaise and the absence of added sugar, Duke's uses apple cider vinegar in place of distilled white vinegar. This unique blend contributes to its signature taste, promoted with the slogan "It's Got Twang!"
Early history
In August 1917, Eugenia Duke and her daughter Martha began vending sandwiches at Army canteens managed by the YMCA as a means of supporting their household. Due to increasing requests from soldiers stationed at nearby Camp Sevier and other patrons, Eugenia commenced bottling her mayonnaise around 1923. By November 1928, she delivered a speech at the Mayonnaise Manufacturer's Convention held in Boston. Facing challenges in scaling production to meet demand, she sold her enterprise to the C. F. Sauer Company in 1929.
With C. F. Sauer
The year 1929 saw the acquisition of Duke's products by the C.F. Sauer Company based in Richmond, Virginia, positioning Duke's Mayonnaise as their leading brand. The manufacturing plant is located in Mauldin, South Carolina, southeast of Greenville, and gained exposure through a 2011 episode of How It's Made.
In 2017, Duke's centennial was officially acknowledged by the legislature of South Carolina. At that time, Duke's Mayonnaise was available nationwide across the United States, along with markets in New Zealand, Australia, and parts of the Middle East. Sauer also initiated expansion efforts into Latin America.
In 2019, ownership of C.F. Sauer and the Duke's brand transitioned to private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners.
Eugenia Duke
Eugenia Thomas Slade Duke (October 1881, Columbus, Georgia–1968) established Duke's Mayonnaise in 1917 within Greenville, South Carolina. She married Harry Cuthbert Duke in 1900 and was actively involved in promoting women's suffrage.
Following the sale of her company, Eugenia relocated to California alongside her daughter Martha and founded both the Duchess Sandwich Company and Duchess Catering Company.