Henderson's Relish, known locally as 'Enderson's, Hendo's, Reli or simply "Relish", is a spicy and fruity condiment, similar in appearance to Worcestershire sauce, but which contains no anchovies. It is made of water, sugar and spirit vinegar with a selection of spices and colouring. Some adherents favour it due to its unique taste, and some out of regional loyalty. It is also vegan. The comedian Tom Wrigglesworth said of Henderson's Relish that while 'outsiders' think the condiment is Sheffield's answer to Worcestershire sauce, Sheffielders think it is the answer to everything. Certainly Henderson's Relish has an extremely loyal following among the people of South Yorkshire.
It was Henry Henderson who first began manufacturing his own special type of sauce back in the latter part of the 19th century. Originally manufactured at 35 Broad Lane in Sheffield, Henderson’s Relish is still being made and was in uninterrupted production within half a mile of the site from which the first bottle was filled until the move to a new food production factory in 2013. The company was bought by Shaws of Huddersfield in 1910 who still supply Hendersons with vinegar. In 1940 Charles Hinksman formed the present company of Hendersons (Sheffield) Ltd., the control of which has remained with the family. Kenneth Freeman, the nephew of the late Charles Hinksman, became the Managing Director and Chairman in 1991 and has overseen many important changes in the company’s profile.
It is produced in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The product's slogan is, "Made in Sheffield for over a 100 years".
Like many similar sauces, it has a base of spirit vinegar, coloured with caramel and sweetened with sugar and (nowadays) saccharin. Its flavour is derived from tamarind,cayenne pepper and garlic oil. A spice that distinguishes Henderson's from other English sauces is its use of cloves.
Henderson's Relish has always been known, by Sheffielders, as "'Endersons", Reli or simply as "Relish". However, in recent years, it has been claimed that it is also known as "Hendo's" in the city. However, the addition of an 'o' to words in this way is something more commonly associated with speech patterns in the North-West of England, rather than Yorkshire, and "Hendo's" is not a traditional name for Henderson's Relish. The issue has been much discussed on local websites.