My, oh my, how the tables have turned. Just a year after the maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Unilever, filed a suit (and ultimately dropped its case) against Hampton Creek, for calling their egg-less product “mayo,” the condiment giant announced that it will release its own vegan mayonnaise! You know what they say, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! Regardless of Unilever’s “beef” with its plant-based counterpart, the company’s move toward eggless mayo speaks volumes to the ever-growing trend of plant-based foods.

American food choices are changing, big time! A report from global market research firm, Mintel, even identified meat and dairy alternatives as one of the 12 key trends set to impact the global food and drink market in 2016. While the total number of Americans that identify themselves as vegan or vegetarian remains around the 4-7 percent, one-third of the population (over 100 million people) now say they are trying to eat vegetarian meals at least occasionally. Food giants have taken notice of this and are adapting to the change. Now, just about any grocery store, from Walmart to Target, is expanding its plant-based selections. Even hamburger fast-food chains, like Wendy’s, are coming out with plant-based alternatives.

“If you stop to think about how consumer trends in the food space have been experiencing a monumental shift in recent years, it becomes abundantly clear why Hellmann’s choice to make an egg-less mayo would be the logical step,” said Nil Zacharias, Co-Founder of One Green Planet. “The first page in the story that will propel us into the future of food dominated by sustainable, plant-based products is being written today, and it presents an enormous opportunity for companies to reimagine the systems and industries that power modern society and the global economy.”

The fact is, people are more aware of the impact that their food choices have on animals, the planet, and their health – and they’re turning to plant-based diets as a better option. Unilever’s new egg-less mayonnaise is another sign of even more plant-based foods to come.

It’s absolutely incredible that after Unilever attempted to take down a plant-based mayo company for not using eggs, it has come out with its own egg-less version. But as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

Hellmann’s “Carefully Crafted Dressing and Sandwich Spread” will hit shelves nationwide on February 15, 2016.

Lead image source: ‘Crab’ Cakes