Squeezing out the mayo with tailor-made packaging

Squeezing out Hellmann’s plant-based mayonnaise is now simpler using ‘easy out’ technology: an edible, vegan coating on the inside of the squeeze bottles that helps the product glide out without sticking.

The new squeeze bottle technology was developed by Unilever’s R&D team, led by Krassimir Velikov, Senior Science & Program Leader, Science & Technology, and Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan, R&D Manager, Dressings.

According to Velikov, some of the ingredients used in the plant-based mayo presented them with specific challenges, as they made the mayonnaise more prone to getting stuck in the bottle. This was corrected by creating an edible, vegan coating that would prevent this sticking problem by making the inside of the bottle more slippery.

“We had to make sure that this easy out coating hit a balance that would achieve the desired easy out effect without interacting with the product,” Velikov said.

The technology is designed to ensure less mayonnaise remains in the bottle, which helps reduce food and packaging waste.

The squeeze bottles are also made using 100% recycled plastic where technically feasible, which also helps reduce the use of virgin plastic.