It’s no secret that the modern diet is full of way too much sugar. Take a peek at a few ingredient lists and you’ll find sugar lurking in the most unexpected places: it’s in your broth, it’s in your beans, it’s in your spaghetti sauce. This was partially what drove Abe Kamarck to create True Made Foods.
As a parent, Abe Kamarck felt he was losing the battle against ketchup. As much as he insisted “it’s like putting candy on a burger,” his kids were clear about what they wanted. Kamarck knew that squash and other vegetables could lend naturally occurring sweetness to dinner, so why couldn’t they work for condiments?
To answer that question, he first needed to find the perfect culinary mind to team up with. He found that partner in Ed Mitchell. Mitchell is a tried and true Southern barbecue pitmaster, you might have seen him in the Netflix documentary Cooked, or read about his work in Michael Pollan’s Cooked: A Story of Transformation. At first, this partnership could sound like an odd pairing. Mitchell has dedicated his professional life not only to barbecue, but also to keeping Southern traditions alive. Kamarck was hoping to shake things up, question traditions, and turn the condiment industry on its head.
Luckily, the things that had in common were far greater than their differences. Both men are veterans, and both are fathers. They have a shared strong sense of loyalty, and are dedicated to serving their communities and families. By working together, Mitchell and Kamarck were able to create a product that would meet Kamarck’s high-standards for health and family, all while honoring Mitchell’s commitment to barbecue and quality flavors.
Today, True Made Foods makes nine different condiments. Reading the ingredient list on the back of a bottle of a True Made Foods product is like taking a breath of fresh air. The bottle lists tomato paste, butternut squash, and carrots; there isn’t a single item you couldn’t find at the grocery store. Conventional ketchup has 6.4 grams of sugar per ounce, while True Made Foods’s low-sugar ketchup has just 1.6 grams per ounce. Most importantly, Abe Kamarck’s kids love it.
