In the dynamic world of foodservice, where quality, consistency, and efficiency matter every day, even the most common ingredients demand thoughtful consideration. Today, Ventura Foods®, a trusted partner to culinary professionals nationwide, is redefining how kitchens approach one of the most versatile and essential staples — mayonnaise. The company proudly introduces its groundbreaking MayoNeeds™ Framework, an innovative system designed to bring clarity and precision to mayonnaise usage in professional kitchens.
Addressing a Hidden Challenge in Kitchens
Mayonnaise might seem like a straightforward condiment, yet it is a critical building block in countless recipes across menus, from sandwiches and salads to sauces and dips. It is so pervasive that nearly half of all restaurant menus feature mayonnaise in some form. However, despite its widespread use, the mayonnaise category has long been riddled with confusion and inconsistency, creating challenges for chefs and foodservice operators trying to balance cost control with delivering high-quality dishes.
One of the root causes of this confusion is the lack of standardized labeling or clear product distinctions within the mayonnaise category. Terms such as “Heavy Duty,” “Premium,” or “Extra Heavy” often appear on packaging, but these designations vary widely in meaning from brand to brand. Without industry-wide definitions, these labels leave chefs guessing whether the mayonnaise they choose is truly suited for their particular culinary application.
Because of this ambiguity and the intense pressure on kitchen staff to manage orders efficiently, many operators simply purchase a single foodservice-grade mayonnaise product to cover all uses — whether it’s for hot applications, cold preparations, binding ingredients together, or serving as a dipping sauce. This one-size-fits-all approach might simplify ordering, but it often compromises the quality and consistency of the final dish.
Introducing the MayoNeeds™ Framework
Ventura Foods is tackling this industry-wide problem head-on with its new MayoNeeds™ Framework. This pioneering approach moves beyond the traditional focus on ingredients and formulations to instead classify mayonnaise products by the culinary applications they are best suited for. By doing so, Ventura Foods aims to eliminate guesswork and help chefs and operators select the mayonnaise that will optimize performance, enhance flavor and texture, and elevate dishes without increasing costs.
“Mayonnaise is everywhere, yet we found that many culinary professionals reorder the same product repeatedly without really understanding how different formulations can impact their dishes,” explains Ahmad Popal, Senior Vice President of Food Innovation & Customer Experience at Ventura Foods. “Labels like ‘Heavy Duty’ don’t provide meaningful guidance. Our MayoNeeds™ Framework empowers chefs to think about mayonnaise in terms of how it will be used — whether in a sandwich, a salad, a dip, or a cooked application — so they can choose the right product for the right job.”
Collaboration with The Culinary Institute of America
To ensure the framework was grounded in real-world kitchen needs and culinary expertise, Ventura Foods partnered with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), a world-renowned leader in culinary education and research. Together, they conducted a comprehensive blind study to evaluate the performance of various mayonnaise products marketed as “Heavy Duty” across a range of applications, including mixed dishes, binding uses, and dippable sauces.
The study’s results were eye-opening. While these products carried similar “Heavy Duty” labels, their actual performance varied significantly depending on the culinary context. Some formulations excelled as binding agents in salads and sandwiches but faltered when used as a dipping sauce. Others held up well under heat but lacked the creamy texture needed for cold applications. This inconsistency highlighted the lack of meaningful standards in mayo labeling and reinforced the need for a more application-focused approach.
David Kamen, Director of Client Engagement and Consulting at The Culinary Institute of America, emphasized the importance of this research: “Our work confirmed that not all ‘Heavy Duty’ mayonnaises are created equal. Chefs can noticeably improve dish quality by selecting mayonnaise tailored to its intended use rather than defaulting to one generic product. Mayonnaise impacts everything from texture and mouthfeel to flavor balance — elements that define the dining experience.”
Practical Impact on Foodservice Operations
The introduction of the MayoNeeds™ Framework is timely, especially for foodservice operators who must juggle cost pressures, labor shortages, and the ever-increasing demand for consistent quality. By clarifying the performance capabilities of mayonnaise products in specific culinary applications, the framework enables kitchens to optimize their ingredient inventories, reduce waste, and enhance overall operational efficiency.
For instance, a sandwich shop could stock a mayonnaise formulation designed specifically for cold sandwich spreads, delivering a creamier texture and better flavor stability, while a catering operation might choose a mayonnaise optimized for mixed salad dressings that bind ingredients without separating. Meanwhile, a restaurant with popular dipping sauces could select a formulation engineered for thicker, more clingy textures that hold up well on the plate.
This tailored approach means kitchens are no longer forced to settle for “good enough” mayonnaise but can instead make strategic decisions that elevate their dishes and delight customers. Furthermore, since the framework promotes using mayonnaise that suits the application, it can ultimately reduce the need for costly workarounds or excessive modifications in the kitchen.
Industry Collaboration and Education
Ventura Foods is rolling out the MayoNeeds™ Framework not only through its product line but also in partnership with major foodservice distributors, operators, and industry influencers. The company is encouraging these stakeholders to revamp their mayonnaise portfolios to reflect application-based formulations and transparent labeling, coupled with educational efforts to help culinary teams understand and apply the framework effectively.
This educational component is key, as Popal notes: “Our goal is to remove the confusion that exists in the mayonnaise aisle and provide chefs with the knowledge to make informed decisions. When chefs understand why a mayonnaise was designed a certain way and how it performs best, they gain confidence and can innovate in their kitchens with greater success.”
How to Learn More
Chefs, operators, and foodservice professionals interested in exploring the MayoNeeds™ Framework and discovering how to optimize mayonnaise usage in their kitchens can find comprehensive resources, technical details, and product information on Ventura Foods’ dedicated MayoNeeds webpage at VenturaFoods.com/MayoNeeds.
