Less than a minute after Yo Mama’s Foods Founder and CEO David Habib appeared on “Good Morning America,” 36,000 orders hit the Clearwater company’s system. The segment reached 3.2 million households and forced Habib to hire 20 new employees to keep pace.
Now, the fast-growing maker of sauces and condiments will return to national television Oct. 8 with an appearance on ABC’s “View Your Deal.” Habib will introduce the brand to daytime audiences, highlighting both its growth and Tampa Bay’s food economy.
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“Being invited to share our story on ‘View Your Deal’ is an incredible honor,” Habib said. “When I started Yo Mama’s Foods, my mission was to create products that families could trust — simple, wholesome and made with love.”
From Clearwater kitchen to 24,000 stores
Habib launched Yo Mama’s in 2017 with recipes inspired by his mother’s cooking. The company has since grown into a national brand, selling pasta sauces, salad dressings and condiments in more than 24,000 stores across 11 countries. Retailers include Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods and Sam’s Club.
The brand built its reputation on clean-label standards: no added sugar, no preservatives and no artificial ingredients. Demand spiked during the pandemic, when consumers cooked more meals at home and sought premium alternatives to legacy brands.
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The company’s earlier appearance on “Good Morning America” generated 36,000 orders in 45 seconds and reached 3.2 million viewers. The surge tested its Clearwater fulfillment team, leading Habib to hire 20 new employees to keep pace.
Building Tampa Bay’s food sector
Yo Mama’s growth carries local weight. The company operates its headquarters and fulfillment center in Clearwater, adding jobs and investment to the region. Habib said persistence and resilience have been central to the company’s progress.
He recalled raising $150,000 in two weeks to cover slotting fees at Whole Foods and rebuilding his warehouse team after losing nearly all of it at once.
“I fail all the time,” he said. “What I’ve learned is hire slowly and fire quickly. Really invest in finding the right cultural fit. One bad apple truly can ruin the entire patch.”
Regional significance
For Tampa Bay, Yo Mama’s ascent signals the value of local companies scaling into national brands. The success adds momentum to the region’s push to diversify beyond tourism and real estate.
“Food, to me, wasn’t only about eating,” Habib told TBBW in an earlier interview. “It became almost a language — the ability of food to really bring people around the table.”
The “View Your Deal” spotlight is another step for a brand rooted in family traditions and built in Tampa Bay. For business leaders, it serves as a reminder: the next growth story may be just down the street, in a kitchen or warehouse.
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