Sir Kensington's

Sir Kensington's is an American condiment brand headquartered in New York City. It developed in the late 2000s as an alternative to conventional mass-market ketchup and expanded into a broader portfolio of sauces and dressings positioned around ingredient transparency, distinctive flavor, and premium presentation. The brand was founded by Mark Ramadan, Scott Norton, Brandon Child, and Win Bennett. Its first product was ketchup, initially developed in 2008 and commercially launched after approximately two years of product development. The founding concept was to create a more characterful and ingredient-conscious condiment. The original ketchup was formulated with less sugar and salt than standard ketchup and without high-fructose corn syrup. It was presented in glass and plastic bottles and sold in classic and spicy varieties. The name refers to a fictional British merchant created as the brand's mascot. The invented character was intended to convey a whimsical, refined, and slightly irreverent personality rather than identify a historical person. Ramadan and Norton became the company's first full-time employees in May 2010. During that year, the company sold approximately 10,000 jars through retailers that included Dean & DeLuca and Williams Sonoma. Early growth was supported by outside financing, including $8.5 million raised from Verlinvest and individual investors, according to the referenced company history. Sir Kensington's subsequently broadened its range from ketchup into mayonnaise, mustard, ranch dressing, and other specialty sauces. The portfolio has included classic and flavored products such as avocado-oil mayonnaise, organic mayonnaise, Sriracha mayonnaise, chipotle mayonnaise, special sauce, dijonnaise, spicy brown mustard, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, honey mustard, and multiple ranch formats. A notable product-development milestone was the 2016 launch of Fabanaise, a vegan mayonnaise using aquafaba, the cooking liquid associated with chickpeas, as an egg substitute. The product connected the brand's flavor-led positioning with growing consumer interest in plant-based foods. Fabanaise received product-industry recognition in 2017, including a FABI award and a NEXTY award for innovation. Other recognition included a 2015 sofi award for Special Sauce and medals for the brand's spicy brown and yellow mustards at the Worldwide Mustard Competition. Sir Kensington's also used experiential marketing to make condiments culturally distinctive. In November 2014, it created Fries of New York, a temporary exhibition and French-fry museum featuring preserved fries from New York restaurants, historical material, and accompanying sauces. This activation reflected the brand's emphasis on food culture and playful storytelling rather than only conventional packaged-goods advertising. On April 20, 2017, Unilever announced that it had acquired Sir Kensington's for an undisclosed amount. The brand became a wholly owned subsidiary while, according to the referenced material, remaining independently led and managed. The acquisition placed the independent premium condiment label within the portfolio of a global consumer-goods company. Publicly available reference material identifies Sir Kensington's as an active brand, but does not provide a complete current executive roster, detailed international-market breakdown, or current financial disclosure.

Sir Kensington's originated with an effort by Mark Ramadan, Scott Norton, Brandon Child, and Win Bennett to create a more distinctive ketchup. The product was first developed in 2008 and commercially introduced after roughly two years of work. Its formulation emphasized reduced sugar and salt compared with standard ketchup and excluded high-fructose corn syrup. The brand's name came from a fictional British merchant created as a mascot, allowing the company to combine a premium visual and verbal identity with a deliberately playful tone. In May 2010, Ramadan and Norton became the company's first full-time employees. The brand sold about 10,000 jars during that year through specialty retailers including Dean & DeLuca and Williams Sonoma. Its early expansion was financed in part by an $8.5 million investment round involving Belgian private-equity firm Verlinvest and individual investors. Sir Kensington's used this base to move beyond ketchup and build a wider condiment portfolio. The company introduced mayonnaise in 2013. Its mayonnaise range developed into several varieties, including classic, avocado oil, organic, Sriracha, chipotle, special sauce, and dijonnaise formats. Mustard became another important category, with spicy brown, Dijon, yellow, and honey mustard varieties. The company also developed ranch dressing in classic, avocado oil, buffalo, and pizza versions. Products were associated with Non-GMO Project verification, and the range also included USDA-certified organic products according to the referenced material. In 2016, Sir Kensington's introduced Fabanaise, a vegan mayonnaise made with aquafaba, the liquid produced when chickpeas are cooked. The product's name combines the aquafaba ingredient with mayonnaise and signals the product's intended functional similarity to conventional mayonnaise. Fabanaise helped distinguish the brand in the growing plant-based condiment segment and received a FABI award at the 2017 National Restaurant Association Show and a NEXTY award at Expo West. Earlier recognition included a 2015 sofi award for Special Sauce, while the brand's mustard products received gold and silver medals at the Worldwide Mustard Competition. The brand also pursued unconventional promotional activity. In November 2014, it presented Fries of New York, a pop-up French-fry museum. The installation displayed 100 fries from New York restaurants preserved in resin, alongside material about French-fry history and a selection of condiments. The project reinforced the brand's connection to food culture and its preference for experiential, humorous marketing. On April 20, 2017, Unilever announced its acquisition of Sir Kensington's. The purchase price was not disclosed in the available reference material. Following the transaction, Sir Kensington's became a wholly owned Unilever subsidiary. The brand was described as continuing to operate with independent leadership and management. Available public references establish its product history, awards, marketing activity, and ownership transition, but do not establish a full current management list, detailed current sales figures, or a complete list of markets outside the United States.

1. 2017Acquisition by Unilever

   Unilever announced the acquisition of Sir Kensington's for an undisclosed amount, with the brand continuing as a wholly owned subsidiary.

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2. 2016Fabanaise launch

   The brand launched Fabanaise, a vegan mayonnaise using aquafaba as an egg substitute.

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3. 2014Fries of New York activation

   The company staged a temporary French-fry museum in New York featuring preserved fries, historical material, and condiments.

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4. 2013Mayonnaise expansion

   Sir Kensington's introduced mayonnaise and subsequently developed classic, avocado oil, organic, Sriracha, chipotle, special sauce, and dijonnaise varieties.

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5. 2010Commercial launch and first full-time employees

   After approximately two years of development, the ketchup was commercially launched. Mark Ramadan and Scott Norton became the company's first full-time employees, and the brand sold approximately 10,000 jars through specialty retailers during the year.

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6. 2008Initial ketchup development

   The founders began developing the ketchup that would become Sir Kensington's first product.

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Premium, ingredient-conscious, flavor-forward condiments with an irreverent and highly distinctive brand identity.

• KetchupCondiment2010

  The original Sir Kensington's product, developed from 2008 and commercially launched in 2010. The ketchup was positioned around lower sugar and salt than standard ketchup and the absence of high-fructose corn syrup. Classic and spicy versions have been offered in glass and plastic bottles.

• MayonnaiseCondiment2013

  Introduced in 2013, the mayonnaise range expanded into classic, avocado oil, organic, Sriracha, chipotle, special sauce, and dijonnaise varieties. It represents the brand's move from a single ketchup product into a broad premium-sauce platform.

• MustardCondiment

  Sir Kensington's mustard portfolio has included spicy brown, Dijon, yellow, and honey mustard. The spicy brown and yellow varieties received gold and silver medals respectively at the Worldwide Mustard Competition referenced in the brand's history.

• FabanaiseVegan mayonnaise2016

  Fabanaise is a plant-based mayonnaise launched in 2016. It uses aquafaba, the cooking liquid associated with chickpeas, as a natural egg substitute. The name combines aquafaba with mayonnaise and reflects the product's aim to reproduce mayonnaise's culinary role without eggs.

• Ranch dressingDressing

  The ranch range has included classic, avocado oil, buffalo, and pizza flavors. It extends the brand's condiment approach into pourable dressings while retaining its emphasis on unusual flavor variations.

• 2014Fries of New York

  United States

  Sir Kensington's created a pop-up French-fry museum in New York. The exhibition included 100 fries from city restaurants preserved in resin, historical material about French fries, and associated condiments.

  Outcome. The activation gave the brand a food-culture and experiential-marketing platform; the available reference does not report attendance or financial outcomes.

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• 2017Acquisition by UnileverM&A

  Sir Kensington's had developed a premium condiment portfolio spanning ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, ranch dressing, and vegan mayonnaise.

  What changed. Unilever announced the acquisition of Sir Kensington's on April 20, 2017, for an undisclosed amount.

  Aftermath. The brand became a wholly owned Unilever subsidiary and was described as remaining independently led and managed.

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• 2016Launch of aquafaba-based FabanaiseProduct launch

  The company expanded its sauce portfolio into plant-based mayonnaise and sought an egg substitute that could perform a similar culinary function.

  What changed. Sir Kensington's launched Fabanaise, using aquafaba, the liquid associated with cooked chickpeas, in place of eggs.

  Aftermath. Fabanaise received a FABI award and a NEXTY award in 2017, according to the referenced history.

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• 2017Sir Kensington's Fabanaise received product innovation recognition

  The aquafaba-based vegan mayonnaise received a FABI award and a NEXTY award, according to the referenced brand history.

  Other
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• 2017Unilever announced the acquisition of Sir Kensington's

  Unilever announced the purchase of the condiment company for an undisclosed amount. Sir Kensington's continued as a wholly owned subsidiary with independent leadership and management described in the reference material.

  M&A
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• 2014Sir Kensington's launched a French-fry pop-up museum in New York

  The brand created Fries of New York, a temporary exhibition featuring preserved fries from New York restaurants, historical material, and condiment pairings.

  Campaign
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1. Sir Kensington's
2. Sir Kensington's official website