We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamar Saunders a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jamar thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I started Lost in the Sauce at home because I wanted a hot sauce that was healthier, lower in sodium but still packed with flavor. I went to the store looking for a brand like that and came up empty. So I made it myself.

I brought my first batch to work and kept it in the breakroom fridge. Pretty soon, I noticed people were borrowing it. When it ran out, folks started asking, “Who made that sauce in the bottle? It was good.” They wanted more and they even named the price themselves.

That is when I called my close friend Shaionna Stovall to design a label. We started with paper labels and glue, just figuring it out as we went. Over the years, we made small tweaks to the process, improving flavor and consistency.

At one point, I thought about quitting, but customers and the steady sales at festivals would not let me. We were basically forced into business by demand. After four years of running it that way, we decided to take it seriously, partnering with a co packer to produce it professionally. That momentum even led to us being featured on Good Day Philly, sharing our story with the city that shaped us.

Now, Lost in the Sauce is not just a bottle in a fridge. It is a brand with a following, born from a simple need for something better.

Jamar, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Jamar Saunders and I am the founder of Lost in the Sauce, an Afro Caribbean inspired hot sauce brand based in Chester, Pennsylvania. I got into this business in the most unexpected way. I wanted a healthier hot sauce, something lower in sodium but still bursting with flavor. I searched store shelves and could not find it, so I made it myself at home.

At first it was just for me. I brought a bottle to work and left it in the breakroom fridge. People started using it without asking, and when it was gone, they were asking who made it. They told me how good it was and even named the price they were willing to pay. That was the spark. My close friend Shaionna Stovall designed the first label, which we printed on paper and glued to bottles. For years we made small improvements while selling to friends, family, and at festivals. I almost quit, but the demand never stopped. Four years later we took it seriously, partnered with a co packer, and even landed a feature on Good Day Philly.

Today, Lost in the Sauce offers bold, handcrafted hot sauces that honor African and Caribbean flavors while adding a fresh Philly attitude. Our lineup includes sauces like La Trinidad, a roasted garlic and mango blend with Carolina Reaper heat, and Peri Peri, a savory, herb-forward sauce inspired by African street food. We also offer creative flavor pairings with olive oils and are expanding into foodie merch.

What sets us apart is our commitment to using quality ingredients, crafting flavors with depth, and telling the story behind every bottle. We solve a problem for food lovers who want a sauce that is both exciting and made with care — no shortcuts, no unnecessary additives.

I am most proud of the fact that this brand grew because our community refused to let it die. From bottles disappearing out of the work fridge to selling out at festivals, people made it clear they wanted what we make. We have turned that passion into a growing brand that represents culture, quality, and connection.

If you are new to Lost in the Sauce, I want you to know that every bottle is made to elevate your food and bring you into our flavor family. This is more than hot sauce — it is a story you can taste.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2019, life hit me hard. I was going through a divorce while still in school, and my budget was in the red by six hundred dollars. Most people would have walked away from side projects, but I refused to let Lost in the Sauce die. I could not afford to restock everything at once, so I bought one ingredient a month, slowly rebuilding the business bottle by bottle.

At the same time, I was working a full time job and driving Lyft before and after my nine to five, sometimes finishing my last ride just hours before going back to work. I did that for two years straight. It was exhausting, but it taught me how to push through when quitting seemed easier.

That period shaped how I run Lost in the Sauce today. I learned how to make the most of limited resources, how to keep moving forward when things feel impossible, and how to build a business brick by brick. That same mindset drives our brand now — we stay resourceful, we work with what we have, and we keep finding ways to deliver bold flavors to our customers no matter the challenges in front of us.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I started by making my sauces at home in my own kitchen. I had no formal background in food manufacturing, just a love for cooking and a clear vision for the kind of flavors I wanted. I taught myself through trial and error, figuring out how to balance heat, flavor, and shelf stability while keeping the sodium low.

In the early years, I made every bottle by hand, using paper labels and glue, and sold them at festivals, to friends, and to coworkers. At first it was just something I enjoyed doing, but the demand kept growing. People kept buying, even when I thought about quitting. In a way, I was forced into business because customers and festival sales would not let me walk away.

Eventually, I realized I needed a licensed facility to produce larger batches safely and consistently. That led me to partner with Kensington Food Co in Philadelphia. I chose them because they were close enough for me to be hands on, they understood my recipes, and they could maintain the quality I had built from the start.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned about manufacturing is that it is not just about making more product. It is about protecting your recipe, your brand quality, and your process at a larger scale. You have to be clear about your standards, communicate them to your manufacturer, and be willing to say no to shortcuts that could hurt your product in the long run.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Lostinthesaucellc.store
• Instagram: Lostinthesauce_llc
• Facebook: Lost in the sauce llc