Mama Mancinis

What Mama Mancinis does

Mama Mancini's, operating under the publicly traded parent Mama's Creations, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAMA), is a U.S. manufacturer and distributor of fully cooked, refrigerated Italian-style prepared foods. Founded in 2008 by Daniel Mancini and headquartered in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the company produces meatballs, flame-grilled chicken products, sausages, meatloaf, and an on-the-go cup line using proprietary family recipes derived from co-founder Mancini's grandmother Anna Mancini's original 1921 Italian recipe. Manufacturing runs from a 17,000 sq ft East Rutherford facility, supplemented by Farmingdale, New York operations acquired in late 2021 through the purchases of T&L Creative Salads (premium chicken and salads) and Olive Branch (olives and savory products), which together tripled the product line and extended the company into the retail in-store deli segment.

The company generates revenue through a multi-channel distribution strategy targeting both retail and direct-to-consumer markets. Wholesale packaged food sales through national retailers (Walmart, Target, Costco, BJ's, ShopRite, Publix, Whole Foods) form the core revenue base, with a major announced expansion to 2,000 Walmart and 750 Target locations in Spring 2026. QVC home shopping — where Daniel Mancini has made hundreds of appearances since 2015 and the brand has won 9+ consecutive Customer Choice Food Awards — provides a recurring direct-response channel that also functions as brand marketing. The company operates its own e-commerce storefront (shop.mamamancinis.com, launched April 2024), distributes through Instacart on-demand delivery, and sells a traditional tomato sauce as a QVC-exclusive SKU. Products are priced from $5.99 per 10oz on-the-go cup up to 48oz family-size packs at club stores, with the portfolio emphasizing 7-8 real ingredients and no preservatives or artificial additives.

Mama Mancini's serves retail grocery shoppers seeking convenient Italian meals, busy families, health- and protein-conscious consumers (via gluten-free and 21-28g protein offerings), and convenience-store on-the-go buyers, with distribution reaching 4,000+ stores nationwide ahead of the planned Walmart/Target rollout. The company has executed three notable acquisitions — T&L Creative Salads and Olive Branch in 2021 and Chef Inspirational Foods (full ownership, $3.65M, June 2023) — with a further acquisition referenced in September 2025. Its competitive positioning rests on authentic recipe heritage, multi-channel brand-building (QVC, Martha Stewart Show, Fox & Friends), and a turnkey prepared foods solution that addresses retailer labor shortages and in-store preparation cost pressure.

Name

Mama Mancinis

Legal name

MamaMancini's Holdings, Inc.

Website

https://mamamancinis.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mama Mancini's, a brand under NASDAQ-listed Mama's Creations (MAMA), manufactures and distributes fully cooked Italian-style prepared foods — meatballs, chicken, sauces, and on-the-go cups — to 4,000+ U.S. retail stores plus QVC, DTC e-commerce, and Instacart, with a Spring 2026 rollout to 2,000 Walmart and 750 Target locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refrigerated Prepared Italian Foods

NAICS

Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Prepared Meat Meals (RTE/RTH) (AFANAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Snacking & Single-Serve Protein Meals (Bowls, Bites, Packs) (AFANAFAH), Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals) (CRAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Prepared italian foods
• Homestyle meatballs
• Refrigerated ready meals
• On the go cups
• Flame grilled chicken

Headquarters

HQ city

East Rutherford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail packaged food sales: Mama Mancini's sells pre-packaged, refrigerated prepared Italian foods through major national and regional grocery retailers (Costco, Walmart, Target, BJ's, ShopRite, Publix, Whole Foods, and others). Products include meatballs in sauce, chicken products, sausages, meatloaf, and on-the-go cups. Revenue is generated through wholesale/retail distribution at various price points.
2. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: The company operates its own online store (shop.mamamancinis.com) selling products directly to consumers, including bulk multi-pack options (e.g., 6-pack of beef meatballs, 8-pack of cups). Products ship directly to consumer's doorstep.
3. QVC Television Home Shopping: Mama Mancini's has made hundreds of appearances on QVC since 2015, selling products directly to viewers through television demonstrations. The brand has won multiple QVC Customer Choice Food Awards, driving significant direct-to-consumer sales through this channel.
4. Instacart On-Demand Delivery: Products are available for purchase through Instacart's on-demand grocery delivery platform, generating revenue through retail-style transaction sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mama Mancini's manufactures and distributes a portfolio of fully cooked, refrigerated Italian-style prepared foods built around its signature beef and turkey meatballs in slow-cooked tomato sauce, complemented by flame-grilled chicken products, stuffed meatballs with five-cheese centers, meatloaf, sausage with peppers and onions, and a portable 10oz On-The-Go Cup line. All products are formulated with a short list of real ingredients and no preservatives or artificial additives, and are sold across major U.S. grocery chains, warehouse clubs, convenience stores, QVC home shopping, and the brand's own direct-to-consumer online store.

Product overview

Mama Mancini's is a food brand owned by Mama's Creations, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAMA) that produces fresh, homestyle Italian prepared foods. The product portfolio centers on signature beef and turkey meatballs in Italian Style Sauce, complemented by flame-grilled chicken products and an innovative On-The-Go Cup line of portable meals. The core meatball offerings include various sizes (16oz, 24oz, 48oz) of Beef and Turkey Meatballs, plus Stuffed Meatballs with Five Cheese Center. The expanding chicken line features Flame Grilled Chicken Breast (17oz), Flame Grilled Chicken Strips, and Fajita Seasoned Chicken Strips. The portable meal division includes microwave-ready cups in beef, turkey, cheesy beef risotto, sausage peppers & onions, and chicken cacciatore varieties. Additional products include Sausage Peppers & Onions and Beef Meatloaf with Tangy Sauce. All products are fully cooked and ready to heat and serve, emphasizing real ingredients with no artificial additives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beef Meatballs in Italian Style Sauce - 16oz Juicy beef meatballs made with premium ground beef, Pecorino Romano, and a proprietary breadcrumb blend, simmered in slow-cooked Italian-style tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, onion, and herbs. Fully cooked, ready-to-heat refrigerated SKU sold at U.S. grocery retailers for family-style Italian dinners.
• Beef Meatballs in Italian Style Sauce - 24oz Larger 24oz pack of Mama Mancini's beef meatballs in Italian-style tomato sauce with ground beef, Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan, providing 10g of protein per serving. Sold through national grocery retailers for family meals.
• Jumbo Beef Meatballs in Italian Style Sauce - 48oz Family-size 48oz jumbo beef meatballs made from premium ground beef and Pecorino Romano, simmered in slow-cooked tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, onion, and basil. Fully cooked with 14g protein per serving, sold at Costco and BJ's warehouse clubs as a multi-pound club-store pack.
• Turkey Meatballs in Italian Style Sauce - 16oz Homestyle turkey meatballs made with premium ground turkey, caramelized onions, and a blend of Asiago, Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan cheeses, simmered in Italian-style tomato sauce. Contains 14g protein per serving with no preservatives, positioned as a lighter-meat alternative to the beef line.
• Stuffed Meatballs with Five Cheese Center - 16oz Premium beef meatballs stuffed with a center blend of mozzarella, ricotta, asiago, parmesan, and pecorino romano cheeses, simmered in savory Italian-style tomato sauce. Contains 11g protein per serving and is sold in 16oz refrigerated retail packs.
• Flame Grilled Chicken Strips - 16oz Fully cooked, ready-to-eat flame-grilled chicken strips with a smoky, grilled flavor profile. Marketed for use in salads, wraps, pastas, or stir fry as a versatile protein base for home meal assembly.
• Fajita Seasoned Grilled Chicken Strips - 16oz Fully cooked grilled chicken strips seasoned with a fajita-style spice blend of chipotle, dehydrated onion and garlic, and lime extract. Ready-to-eat refrigerated SKU intended for tacos, nachos, or salads, available alongside the plain flame-grilled strips.
• Flame Grilled Chicken Breast - 17oz Tender, fully cooked flame-grilled chicken breast with a smoky flavor profile, packaged in 17oz pouches and marketed for salads, sandwiches, or center-of-plate meals. Ready-to-eat refrigerated protein SKU sold alongside the chicken strips.
• Beef Meatballs and Italian Style Sauce in a Cup - 10oz Microwave-ready 10oz portable cup featuring Mama Mancini's original beef meatballs in Italian-style sauce, ready in 2 minutes with 22g protein per container. All-natural with no preservatives or artificial ingredients, sold via convenience and grocery channels.
• Cheesy Beef Risotto in a Cup - 10oz Gluten-free portable meal cup combining high-quality ground beef, long-grain rice, and freshly grated Romano cheese in savory Italian-style tomato sauce. Provides 21g protein per cup with no artificial ingredients, sold through grocery, convenience, and DTC channels.
• Sausage Peppers and Onions in a Cup - 10oz Gluten-free portable meal cup featuring nitrate-free Italian pork sausage with roasted bell peppers and onions in Italian-style tomato sauce. Provides 21g protein per cup with no artificial ingredients.
• Sausage Peppers and Onions in Italian Style Sauce - 14oz Nitrate-free pork sausage simmered with roasted red and green peppers, onions, and Italian-style tomato sauce made from real tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Provides 13g protein per serving in a 14oz refrigerated family-pack format.
• Beef Meatloaf with Tangy Sauce - 14oz Classic homestyle beef meatloaf made with premium ground beef, onions, celery, carrots, breadcrumbs, eggs, and a three-cheese blend (Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, Asiago), topped with a tangy tomato-based sauce with brown sugar and vinegar. Fully cooked 14oz refrigerated retail SKU.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mama Mancini's products ranked #1 Italian food at Costco (Eat This, Not That! 2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chef Inspirational Foods, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2023Mama's Creations (parent of Mama Mancini's) acquired the remaining 76% interest in Chef Inspirational Foods, Inc. for $3.65 million in June 2023, following a prior minority stake purchase in June 2022. The acquisition aims to improve gross margins, reduce operating expenses, and enhance sales and operational synergies through cross-selling opportunities.
• T&L Creative Salads, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Acquired in late 2021 along with Olive Branch, LLC. T&L specialized in premium chicken meat offerings and salads. The acquisition effectively tripled Mama Mancini's product line, doubled its operational footprint, and extended the company into the retail in-store deli segment with fresh, refrigerated products. Based in Farmingdale, NY.
• Olive Branch, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Acquired in late 2021 along with T&L Creative Salads, Inc. Olive Branch specialized in premium olives, olive mixes, and savory products. The acquisition expanded the product portfolio and operational footprint. Based in Farmingdale, NY.
• Whole FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2010Near-immediate national retail partner after the Martha Stewart Show appearance. Carried Mama Mancini's products in 24 stores in the Northeast region as of 2010, providing early national distribution visibility.
• Eden Gourmet (Garden of Eden)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2008Daniel Mancini's first retail partner. After an initial sale to Whole Foods' northeast region, Mancini partnered with neighbors Carl Wolf and Matt Brown at Eden Gourmet. Wolf and Brown became CEO and President, respectively. Wolf provided $1.5 million in initial investment capital. The Eden Marketplace in South Orange was the first store to carry Mama Mancini's products.
• InstacartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProducts available for on-demand grocery delivery through Instacart's platform. Consumers can order Mama Mancini's products for same-day delivery from nearby retail locations through the Instacart app/website.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rosina Food Products: Rosina is a leading Italian prepared foods manufacturer specializing in frozen meatballs, pasta sauces, and Italian entrees sold through grocery and foodservice channels. Directly comparable to Mama Mancini's in product category (Italian-style meatballs and sauces) and target market (retail deli/frozen aisle shoppers).
• Cooked Perfect: Cooked Perfect produces fully cooked, ready-to-heat Italian-style meatballs sold through club stores and grocery retailers. Closely comparable to Mama Mancini's in core product format (pre-cooked meatballs in sauce) and channel mix (warehouse club, retail grocery).
• Carando Foods: Carando is a heritage Italian meats brand producing meatballs, sausages, and Italian deli products primarily for retail grocery. Directly comparable to Mama Mancini's in Italian meatball category, retail distribution, and refrigerated prepared format.

Broad incumbents

• Buitoni (Nestlé): Buitoni, owned by Nestlé, is a major Italian prepared foods brand spanning pasta, sauces, and ready meals. Comparable to Mama Mancini's in Italian prepared-meal category and retail distribution, but operates at vastly larger scale as part of Nestlé's portfolio.
• Perdue Foods: Perdue is a major prepared chicken brand (grilled strips, breast, nuggets) sold across mass retail. Comparable to Mama Mancini's expanding flame-grilled chicken product line in product format, retail distribution, and protein-occasion positioning.
• Tyson Foods: Tyson produces a vast prepared foods portfolio including meatballs, chicken products, and heat-and-eat entrees sold in every major US retailer. Comparable to Mama Mancini's in product category and channel coverage, but with vastly greater scale, R&D, and slotting resources.

Emerging players

• Applegate Farms: Applegate produces natural and organic deli meats, sausages, and prepared proteins sold through retail grocery. Comparable to Mama Mancini's in clean-label, no-preservative positioning and refrigerated prepared format, though focused on deli meats rather than Italian entrees.
• Aidells Sausage Company: Aidells produces premium, fully cooked chicken sausages and meatballs with clean ingredient profiles sold through grocery retail. Comparable to Mama Mancini's in refrigerated, fully cooked, premium-positioned protein offerings targeting health-conscious consumers.
• Bell & Evans: Bell & Evans produces premium prepared chicken products (grilled, frozen, refrigerated) with clean-label positioning for retail and foodservice. Comparable to Mama Mancini's expanding chicken line in refrigerated, ready-to-eat format and natural-ingredient positioning.

Others

• Chef Inspirational Foods: Chef Inspirational Foods is a prepared food manufacturer that was acquired by Mama's Creations in 2023 for $3.65M. Listed as ecosystem context given it is now a subsidiary rather than a peer, but illustrates the consolidation playing out in the prepared Italian/heat-and-eat category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mamamancinis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mama Mancinis