If you’ve been looking on the grocery shelves lately for pasta sauce no doubt you’ve come across a new brand-Yo Mama’s.
That’s right-Yo mama’s.
To find out what’s going on here we spoke with Yo Mama’s brand manager Kristin Streger.
Q – Kristen I first saw a jar of Yo Mama’s on the shelves of Price Chopper.
A – Yes
Q – Yo Mama’s?!
A – (Laughs).
Q – That’s not a name in the tradition of a bottled pasta sauce like Rao’s, Ragu, Prego.
A – Right.
Q – I thought maybe a famous Rap star started his own pasta sauce company.
A – That would be cool wouldn’t it. (Laughs).
Q – That would be different. But, you beat him to the punch. What was the thinking behind that? Who thought of that name?
A – Our founder David. He still works for the company. He is the CEO. He founded it after he graduated college. So, he worked in the corporate world for awhile and then just thought it wasn’t for him. He and his mom came up with the recipe for our original marinara which was our first sauce. He just wanted to call it Yo Mama’s. His mom came up with it. Simple as that. It was different and unique as well. That’s kind of something we harp on and stand on. It’s something we try to keep on all of our new products as well. A lot of the sauces you said are in kind of a darker jar, a dark lid. They have like a tomato or your grandma on it. Something like that. Our labels are very clean, white. We change the color based on the flavor, but it’s a very clean label so it stands out very well on the shelf. Obviously, I think our name is one of the biggest things that draws people in. So, it’s a combination of those two things that help us stick out on the shelf. But, the name was just founded by David and his mom, not a famous Rap star. (Laughs).
Q – Have you gotten any feedback on the name of the sauce?
A – Yes. So, I would say 98% of the feedback is positive. People think it’s catchy. They love it. If you go over to our website (www.yomamasfoods.com) or know about our story all of our products come from something your mom would have in her kitchen. So, it’s really the basic behind the name. Things that your mom would have in her kitchen, things that are quick, available, ready recipes for your mom to make or something that mom would make at home. I think the feedback we’ve gotten for our name is honestly 98% positive. It comes from a good place. Were just trying to remind you of your mom and her cooking and all those great things.
Q – As a brand manager what exactly are your job duties?
A – How long do you have? (Laughs). As a brand manager my overall goal is just to keep the brand name cohesive so I deal with anything, mostly e-commerce related to the business, as far as our websites or Amazon, whether it’s giant Eagle website or Walmart website, things like that. To keep our brand up there. To keep our images updated. We also work with other wholesalers to get into smaller stores using those platforms as well. Anything from I do the labels to box design. So, really a brand manager is really a brand basic title.
Q – What were you doing before Yo Mama’s?
A – I graduated college in 2018 then I started working here at Yo Mama’s actually during Corona. So, when that whole shutdown happened I have lost my previous job do to Covid. So, I was looking for something to do. Actually one of our friends worked here at the time. They were like oh, we need help! So, I came in there. I was doing kind of membership coordination. I would coordinate members for this group that I worked for so, that was the job before. I did go to school for Communications And Public Relations. So, brand manager kind of fits right in.
Q – The pasta sauce business is a very crowded field which I’m sure you know. How do you get the word out about Yo Mama’s besides social media? Does the company advertise?
A – Yeah. I think our biggest push that we really had that got us going was Amazon. We launched right into Amazon when the category opened for pasta sauce. So, that kind of allowed us to set foot and get a hold of where we are on Amazon. Obviously this time is gone on gathered reviews and the longer you’re there the more traffic you have in the header your product brings so, Amazon one of the best ways to market. I think everybody in America and beyond as an Amazon account. So, that’s really the best way. And I think people recognize it is from Amazon. So, we do advertise on Amazon as well, but, we do anything and everything at least once whether that Google ads, obviously our website. Were on Social Media. We post on there. We work with the box stores to do promotions whether it’s an online promotion or an in-store promotion. Those are kind of marketing as well. Those are the main things that we do but I would say that Amazon is definitely one of our biggest advertisers in marketing influences that we do right now.
Q – I believe Yo Mama’s sells for $8.98 a jar.
A – Yes.
Q – When a customer goes to look for pasta sauce how many people are looking to layout that kind of money when they can get let’s say a store brand jar of pasta sauce for as little as $.99 a jar?
A – I can see where you’re coming from but, it’s also not. Our pasta sauce is a premium pasta sauce so we use only premium fresh ingredients. So, the price goes along with that. You’re getting quality ingredients in the jar. Same thing as Rao’s, same prices Rao’s. Rao’s is considered a premium label sauce whereas your Prego is a dollar because their pricing is different. And their ingredients are different. The price is a fair price to set for a premium pasta sauce.
Q – You’re involved in a very competitive business Kristen.
A – Yes. It’s also a customer acquisition cost kind of thing. In-store is a lot different from online. Online you have the ability to read the reviews. Our target audience is someone who is looking for premium ingredients. So, there are people out there who are just going to go just based on cost and that’s fine, but, our main target audience is someone who’s looking for premium ingredients that’s good for their family and healthy and quick and easy. A lot of people would rather sacrifice a few extra dollars to have that good level premium food rather than just going for a cheaper, low-cost option but, there’s something out there for everyone.
Q – Have any famous celebrities that you know of try Yo Mama’s that you know of?
A – So, we have sent some sauces to Oprah and her team. We have sent sauce I think to George Bush a while ago. That is as far as the list goes that I know of. I’m sure if I texted regularly I might see another name, but, those are two that stick out to me.
Official website: yomamasfoods.com