Hampton Creek announced an agreement Thursday with the Food and Drug Administration that allows the startup to continue calling its eggless mayonnaise product made with yellow peas “Just Mayo”.
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“That’s going to be a part of our label going forward”, says Tetrick.
The maker of Just Mayo, a vegan alternative to traditional mayonnaise, will keep the name but change its label after settling a dispute with federal regulators that highlighted the confusion being stirred up by fast-changing consumer food preferences. The food giant argued that Just Mayo, because it contained no eggs, “damages the entire product category, which has strived for decades for a consistent definition of “mayonnaise” that fits with consumer expectations”. “That is the name of the product before, name of the product today, and we’re grateful that they allowed that to hold”.
“This isn’t a story about winning or losing”.
“What this whole thing with the FDA and the Egg Board brings up for me is that the folks responsible at the top of the chains, instead of trying to help make a food life great for all Americans, are actually just trying to make it right for a few corporations”, Zimmern said. A food system that is healthier and stronger and more aligned with our values.
(The lawsuit was later dropped.) Hampton Creek, which was founded in 2011 and has raised 0 million, has also faced criticism from anonymous ex-employees who told Business Insider that the products were less than scientifically sound, and concerted attacks by the government-backed American Egg Board, as reported by The Guardian. “It’s a story about a group of professionals and a young company thoughtfully engaged in that mission.” .
This news puts an end to a months-long saga that began in August when the FDA sent a warning letter to Hampton Creek.
“The FDA and the company met to discuss the issues cited in the warning letter and worked together to address them”. “The FDA considers the issues cited in the warning letter to be resolved and will issue a closeout letter soon”. And now the FDA has decided it’s A-OK with the Just Mayo name. The most relevant precedent for this decision relates to Muscle Milk. According to the FDA, mayonnaise is a standardized food.
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Ivan Wasserman, partner in the Washington DC office at law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, said the description of “Just” on the label was a “little vague” but said the fact the term “egg-free” was now more prominent – and closer to the brand name “Just Mayo” – was an important change. And the new JUST MAYO label still features an egg. One change was to increase the size of all claims on the label, including “Egg Free”.
