NC entrepreneur lands major distribution opportunity with grocery store group

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A food truck is where it all started for Larry Swayne .

“We won awards on food networks and cooking channels. We would travel around the country having folks fall in love with mambo sauce,” said Swayne.

Swayne is a native of Washington, D.C., where mambo sauce is a staple. However, it took him only a short time to notice that his version suddenly became a hit here in North Carolina.

“They wanted to take them home and pay for extras. We were always generous,” he said.

That compelled the small business owner to turn his customer’s favorite food truck sauce into a product to sell online.

“It’s a sweet, sticky red sauce, a little tangy, it has a little kick to it, but it goes great on anything fried,” he said. “As a small independent brand trying to break into this, we had to depend a lot on word of mouth,” Swayne added.

That word of mouth caught the attention of Food Lion stores in North Carolina.

“It was a dream come true to get that phone call from Food Lion that we were going to be added to 534 stores,” he said.

Swayne says it’s been surreal walking into a store and seeing his product, Wingzza Mambo Sauce , go from his kitchen, food truck, and business website to grocery store shelves. He says it’s a testament that hard work pays off, and he can build generational wealth for his family.

“I hope 100 years from now my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren, can say, ‘hey, my granddad started this company and is looking to take it to the next level’,” he said.

He says he is also grateful for UNFI and U.S. Foods Chef’Store distribution opportunities.

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