Maybe It's the Mayo ... New Survey Reveals Sandwich-Loving Americans Could Survive Longer Without Their Cell Phone Than Without Their Favorite Sandwich

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Even in our "always on" society, America's sandwich fans would rather stay off their cell phones than go without their favorite sandwich. According to the first installment of the new "Hellmann's® State of the Sandwich" Survey*, sandwich lovers believe they could survive a longer period of time not talking on their cell phones (29 days) or avoiding shopping (26 days) than going without their sub sandwiches (20 days).   Sandwich love is not blind, however; the survey also revealed that a majority (84 percent) of American sandwich eaters say that how a sandwich is made is just as important as the ingredients used to make it.

To help celebrate America's passionate preferences for building the perfect sandwich, Hellmann's® and Best Foods® are partnering with Chef Bobby Flay to show families how to make real, simple, delicious sandwiches and to uncover unique and personal sandwich-making techniques.  Beginning today, consumers can go to Facebook.com/hellmanns to share their sandwich-making tips, tricks, techniques and secrets.  They'll also have the opportunity to build their perfect sandwich and enter the Hellmann's® Build Your Perfect Sandwich Sweepstakes for a chance to win great prizes including a kitchen essentials bundle, grocery gift cards and Hellmann's® and Best Foods® products.** 

"Everyone has an opinion about how to make the perfect sandwich, from the must-have ingredients to the highly personal sandwich architecture," said Flay.  "No matter the sandwich recipe, I always use Hellmann's® mayonnaise to bring out the best in my sandwich, plus I have to cut the bread diagonally and only put condiments on one side of the bread to make it just right.   That's my idea of a perfect sandwich."

When it comes to how – and why – America's sandwich fans build their perfect sandwich, the survey also reveals:

• Mom always knows best:  Thirty-three percent of Americans who eat sandwiches credit their mom with teaching them how to make a great sandwich. And nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of moms with sandwich-loving kids say they serve their families the favorites they ate growing up.
• Cutting-edge connoisseurs: Close to three-quarters (74 percent) typically take a knife to their sandwich after it's been made, either slicing it diagonally (60 percent) or straight down the middle (38 percent).  More sandwich eaters in the Midwest than those in other regions make sure that their crusts always remain on the bread (73 percent vs. 63 percent). They also prefer to eat their subs whole – not cut in half (34 percent vs. 23 percent).
• The condiment of choice:  When it comes to condiments, nearly two in three (61 percent) would choose mayo over mustard (22 percent) or oil and vinegar (8 percent) if they could only use one type of condiment on their sandwiches for the rest of their lives! When it comes to applying their mayo, many of those who use this creamy condiment prefer to spread the love right on the bread, either on both slices (52 percent) or only on one side (33 percent).

"The survey confirms everything we've always suspected about how people feel about the sandwiches they make and enjoy," said Melissa Weingarten, Hellmann's® and Best Foods® senior brand manager. "We're delighted to be partnering with Bobby Flay once again as we help people everywhere build their perfect sandwich by offering a wide variety of inspiring recipe ideas and sandwich-making tips."  

Hellmann's® has been helping families prepare delicious food made with real, simple ingredients for more than 70 years, and now, as part of the brand's ongoing commitment to real, simple ingredients, Hellmann's Light®, Hellmann's® Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise and Hellmann's® Reduced Fat Mayonnaise with Olive Oil are all made with 100 percent certified cage-free eggs offering more options to consumers seeking out ingredients to help perfect their favorite sandwiches.

For Sandwich Lovers Only:  Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Launches Club Sandwich

To help facilitate the conversation around America's passion for sandwiches, Hellmann's® and Best Foods® have also enlisted a group of esteemed bloggers to form the Hellmann's® Club Sandwich team:  Liz Latham (Hoosier Homemade), Katja Presnal (Skimbaco Lifestyle), Kimberly Vetrano (She Scribes), Sarah Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella), John "Chef John" Mitzewich (Food Wishes), Caryn Bailey (Rockin' Mama), Melissa Garcia (Consumer Queen), Amanda Bottoms (KevinandAmanda.com), Shaina Olmanson (Food For my Family).  Throughout the year, the Hellmann's® Club Sandwich team will share their own recipes and secrets to building their perfect sandwich.  

Visit Facebook.com/hellmanns to learn more and to share how to build your perfect sandwich.  

About Unilever North America

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong operations in more than 100 countries and sales in 180.  With products that are used over two billion times a day around the world, we work to create a better future every day and help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.  In the United States, Canada and the Greater Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Blue Band, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Good Humor, Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Omo, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Ragu, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, TIGI, Vaseline, and Wish-Bone. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2010.  For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com, www.unilever.ca, or www.unilevercaribbean.com.

*The "Hellmann's® State of the Sandwich" survey was conducted by Kelton Research between March 21st and March 28th, 2011 using an email invitation and an online survey of 1,373 Americans ages 18 and older, with oversampling in specific geographic regions and women with children under 18 living in the household.  Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.  In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 2.6 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with All persons in the universe represented by the sample.

* *No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The Build Your Perfect Sandwich Sweepstakes is sponsored by Conopco, Inc., d/b/a Unilever. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 & older. Begins 12:00 p.m. ET 4/11/11 and ends 11:59 a.m. ET on 8/15/11. For rules, got to http://www.Hellmanns.com.

Contact:
Krystina Fisher, Weber Shandwick
212-445-8149
[email protected]

SOURCE Unilever