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‘Envelope gravy’ confuses shoppers after Real Canadian Superstore sign sparks viral questions

‘Envelope gravy’ confuses shoppers after Real Canadian Superstore sign sparks viral questions

A Real Canadian Superstore aisle sign in Toronto listing “envelope gravy” prompted social media confusion after posts from Sarah Millican and others on X dated Sept. 27, 2026.

The Story

A Real Canadian Superstore aisle sign in Toronto listing “envelope gravy” sparked confusion online, after British comedian Sarah Millican posted a photo of the overhead signage on X on Sept. 27, 2026, asking whether anyone knew what the term meant.

Millican’s post shared that the sign appeared alongside other aisle categories such as cake mixes and rice crackers, and she joked about her initial assumption before concluding she had “envelope gravy.”

Others said they had wondered the same thing after seeing similar signage, including an X user identified as Matt Avery, who wrote that he was in Toronto the previous Tuesday at a Real Canadian Superstore and took a similar photo while still not knowing what “envelope gravy” is.

Some Canadians said the phrase was uncommon in their experience, while one Toronto-area commenter said shoppers typically call the product “gravy mix” or “packet gravy” instead of “envelope” gravy.

Several respondents used humour to interpret the phrase, with one joking it was “gravy you can send in the mail,” while other commenters described “envelope gravy” as the dry gravy packets—made by adding liquid and heating—often sold in small packets.

After the viral posts, Real Canadian Superstore was contacted about how popular “envelope gravy” is among shoppers and whether it deserved a place on the overhead aisle signage, but the company did not respond.

Commenters’ explanations also noted that the wording can vary even if the product is the same, pointing to packet brands including Club House, No Name and McCormick.

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