Yo Mama’s Foods Successfully Expands into Panama

Based in Clearwater, Florida and founded in 2017, Yo Mama’s Foods is a manufacturer of healthy and keto-friendly pasta sauces, salad dressings and condiments.  The company sought a solution to provide customers with healthy and fresh sauces that did not contain the extensive artificial preservatives available in most pasta sauces at the grocery stores today.  Yo Mama’s experienced immediate success in 6 years, hiring 17 employees and selling in over 25,000 stores in the U.S.  Yo Mama’s goal has always been to expand into international markets.  The U.S. Commercial Service Clearwater has served as a longtime resource for their expansion needs.  Yo Mama’s wanted to expand sales in Panama, so they participated in Select Florida’s trade mission to Panama in 2022. They took part in a Gold Key Service with 6 potential buyers and distribution partners hoping to find a local partner.  

CS Tampa Bay and CS Miami supported their efforts prior to, during, and after the mission.  Following the mission, Yo Mama’s identified Super 99 Foods as an ideal partner and signed an agreement, with an initial sale of over $10,000.00.  The agreement was an exclusive agreement, so Yo Mama’s was able to stay in touch with their other contacts from the mission and sign an additional distributor agreement with Riba Smith, one of the first supermarkets established in Panama for initial $15,000 of product with additional ongoing purchases of over $15,000, totaling over $30,000 of sales.

Because of their growth in Panama and other South American markets, Yo Mama’s was able to hire one International & Alternate Sales Manager, specifically focused on handling their international sales.  

“The U.S. Commercial Service has been an invaluable partner in Yo Mama’s Foods’ expansion efforts in Panama and beyond. Their expertise and support have opened doors to new markets, connected us with key international partners, and provided critical insights that have fueled our global growth. With their guidance, we’re proud to share our premium sauces with families around the world.” -David T. Habib, CEO