Hellman’s

Current owner: Unilever, Dutch-British consumer goods company

The French may have been the first to invent mayonnaise but Hellman’s is responsible for making it a staple condiment in most American kitchens. German immigrant Richard Hellmann opened up a delicatessen in New York City in 1903 and found that his homemade condiment was so popular that he started to sell it separately.

In 1932, the company was acquired by Best Foods, another mayonnaise seller on the west coast. In 2000, Best Foods was bought by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever for $20.3 billion. To this day, the two brands operate separately. Hellmann's Mayonnaise is sold east of the Rockies and Best Foods Mayonnaise is sold west.