Grey Poupon facts for kids
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| Type | Mustard |
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| Owner | Kraft Heinz (World) Associated British Foods (UK) |
| Country | Dijon, France |
| Introduced | 1866 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners |
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Grey Poupon is a famous brand of Dijon mustard. It first started in Dijon, France, way back in 1866.
This mustard became very popular in the United States in the late 1970s and 1980s. People started wanting different flavors beyond regular yellow mustards. A big reason for its popularity was a memorable TV advertisement. This ad made Grey Poupon seem like a fancy, high-class product.
Like other Dijon mustards, Grey Poupon has a small amount of white wine in it. The version sold in America uses brown mustard seeds grown in Canada.
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The Story of Grey Poupon
In 1860, a mustard maker named Maurice Grey lived in Dijon, France. He invented a special machine that made mustard much faster. Because of his invention, he received a special award from the royal family.
In 1866, Maurice Grey teamed up with another mustard maker, Auguste Poupon. Together, they started the company Grey-Poupon.
Later, in 1946, an American company called Heublein Company bought the rights to sell Grey Poupon in the United States.
Over the years, the company changed hands many times. In 1999, Kraft Foods bought the Grey Poupon brand. Today, Kraft Heinz owns the brand worldwide. In the United Kingdom, Associated British Foods owns the rights.
Grey Poupon Dijon and wholegrain mustard are still made in France for Europe and Canada. However, the Grey Poupon made for the American market is now produced in Holland, Michigan. The American version has some extra ingredients like vinegar and sugar, which the French version does not.
How Grey Poupon Was Advertised
The Famous Commercials
In 1981, Heublein launched a very famous TV commercial for Grey Poupon. The ad showed one fancy Rolls-Royce car pulling up next to another. A passenger in one car would ask, "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?" The other person would reply, "But of course!" Then, they would pass the jar of mustard between the cars. Another version of the ad showed the characters on the luxurious Orient Express train.
These commercials became very popular and were often copied in funny ways. The ads made Grey Poupon seem like a product for wealthy people. By 1992, Grey Poupon was strongly linked to people with higher incomes.
In 2013, Grey Poupon made a new advertisement that was a funny action movie spoof. It showed a chase scene based on the original 1980s commercial. This new ad was even nominated for an Emmy award!
Other Products
In 2007, Kraft introduced some new types of mustard under the Grey Poupon name. These included a coarse-ground mustard with whole seeds and a spicy brown mustard. Today, only the coarse-ground version is still made.
See also
