From lobster rolls to schnitzel, food trucks are introducing new tastes to American palettes. So why not mustard? It may not be as eye-catching (or child-friendly) as the famous Oscar Meyer wiener on wheels, but the Maille Mustard Mobile was a huge success when it toured the East Coast of the US at the start of the summer. Now, it’s on the loose on the other side of the country, bringing the taste of Dijon to the West Coast.
“It’s an opportunity for us to talk to Americans about our product without imposing the history of Maille,” explains Elisa Galassi who is responsible for the brand overseas. In France, Maille is a household name, the standard in Dijon mustard. But their products arrived in the US just 10 years ago, and although sales here have increased 8%, Maille is hoping for more.
“We need to become accessible to Americans and let them explore their own tastes,” says Galassi, by suggesting that Maille mustard or pickles could make a nice topping for a hot dog or another sandwich.At about $4 per jar, the brand markets itself as an affordable luxury. 6 different types of mustard are available in the US, plus their cornichons — or baby pickles, as one might be inclined to describe them.
But if Maille wants to become the go-to mustard stateside it must first do what no mustard has done before: dethrone yellow mustard. “It’s our biggest challenge,” admits Galassi, though it seems Maille is up for it. “This is a country where we’re not the leader, and that means it has huge potential.”
