• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Fake mayonnaise startup Just Mayo also faked sales

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guevara

Member
In late 2014, fledgling entrepreneur Josh Tetrick persuaded investors to plow $90 million into his vegan food startup Hampton Creek Inc. Tetrick had impressed leading Silicon Valley venture capital firms by getting his eggless Just Mayo product into Walmart, Kroger, Safeway, and other top U.S. supermarkets within about three years of starting his company.

What Tetrick and his team neglected to mention is that the startup undertook a large-scale operation to buy back its own mayo, which made the product appear more popular than it really was. At least eight months before the funding round closed, Hampton Creek executives quietly launched a campaign to purchase mass quantities of Just Mayo from stores, according to five former workers and more than 250 receipts, expense reports, cash advances and e-mails reviewed by Bloomberg. In addition to buying up hundreds of jars of the product across the U.S., contractors were told to call store managers pretending they were customers and ask about Just Mayo. Strong demand for a product typically prompts retailers to order more and stock it in additional stores.
Click to expand...
“We need you in Safeway buying Just Mayo and our new flavored mayos,” Caroline Love, Hampton Creek’s then director of corporate partnership, wrote in an April 2014 e-mail to contract workers known as Creekers. “And we’re going to pay you for this exciting new project! Below is the list of stores that have been assigned to you.” Love’s memo also referenced a key competitor: “The most important next step with Safeway is huge sales out of the gate. This will ensure we stay on the shelf to put an end to Hellmann’s factory-farmed egg mayo, and spread the word to customers that Just Mayo is their new preferred brand. :)”
Click to expand...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...undercover-project-to-buy-up-its-own-products
 
P

Patryn

Member
How do you spread word to people that something is their new preferred brand? Isn't it up to the customer to determine what their preferred brand is?

Just say "spread word to customers as to what their preferred brand should be!"
 
F

Futureman

Member
I think I'm gonna start buying this stuff if people say it's good. I'm a vegetarian but if there's a vegan option for a food I eat that's good, then no reason not to.
 
B

BajiBoxer

Banned
Futureman said:
I think I'm gonna start buying this stuff if people say it's good. I'm a vegetarian but if there's a vegan option for a food I eat that's good, then no reason not to.
Click to expand...
I eat a lot of meat and fast food, but my mom buys a lot of vegan and organic stuff. I think I actually prefer the Just Mayo to real mayonnaise.
 
C

Curiocity

Member
Aw man. I hope it doesn't get pulled. I dislike real mayo with a greasy passion and this stuff is really good. The chipotle one is delightful.
 
B

banefirelord

Banned
Regardless of the behind the scenes fuckery, as far as healthier mayo goes, how does this compare to Trader Joe's Low Fat Mayo (the GOAT)?
 
A

apieceofstrange

Member
The chipotle and garlic flavors are actually really good in sandwiches. I was buying them for months before I knew they were eggless/vegan. I'm not a fan of plain mayo, but I like these.
 
DOWN

DOWN

Banned
I actually like the product but what a lame way to push a vegan brand. Lots of dishonesty to pretend it's a big deal, first with the deceptive labels and now the sales.
 
I

infiniteloop

Member
this is GOAT mayo:

mayo1.png
 
M

marrec

Banned
Just Mayo is great because I'm allergic to eggs.

Every other Egg Free mayo I've tried is disgusting.

I don't care what deceptive tactics they used to get venture capital I need it to stay on the shelf damnit.
 
H

Himynameischris

Member
I'm using this now just because it was on crazy discount at Target with cartwheel, it's surprisingly good but I wouldn't purchase again at full price.
 
I

infiniteloop

Member
n0razi said:
This is the most hipster thing I have seen... does it cost $10/jar?
Click to expand...

lol, why? because it tastes great and has no shit in it?
I think they have a gallon tub of hellmann's on sale at Walmart today for 99c. If you leave now, they might have some left in stock.
 
H

Hero

Member
Sounds like that one season of Office where Ryan is an executive an has all the Dunder Miflin sales people record their sales on the website to trick investors into thinking they sold more than they really did.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

[Jez Corden] OPINION: This week's big Xbox drama showcases how little people trust Nadella's Microsoft — a legacy forged in the death of Windows Phone
2 3 4
164
14K
Rosoboy19 replied
Xbox Series S on sale for $239.99|£199.99|€229.00 until after Christmas Eve.
2 3
110
6K
onnextflix5 replied
Ken Kutaragi is the Greatest 'emperor' Of All Time and remains SIE's only true visionary
Opinion 2 3
112
6K
nial replied
Phil Spencer interview - Says that their intent is for all Xbox games, including Call of Duty, to be available on Xbox Game Pass Day One
2 3
102
8K
Kenneth Haight replied
Xbox launches "Nowstalgia" campaign to target Gen Z. Featuring a gamer making friends with a talking Xbox Series S plushy coming to life on his couch.
2 3
107
7K
Eddie-Griffin replied
Top Bottom