Troy Bonde and Winston Alfieri, two young entrepreneurs from the University of Southern California (USC), have taken the food industry by storm with their creative and gutsy venture: Sauz, a jarred pasta sauce brand that's raking in nearly $1 million per month. Their story isn't just about breakfast cereal-level luck; it's about seizing opportunities and making daring decisions during trying times.
Like many of their peers, Bonde and Alfieri found themselves stuck at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While others binge-watched shows or scrolled endlessly on social media, the duo opted for entrepreneurship, driven by boredom and the desire to create something meaningful. Reflecting on those days, Bonde notes, "We sat down together and thought, ‘What problem can we solve?’" A spark ignited by their everyday experiences led them to explore what their next career move would be.
Trading tweets for text messages, something far more treacherous was about to happen. The pair decided to invest $9,000—money borrowed from their parents—into a Chinese manufacturer they had only connected with via WhatsApp. "It was the scariest moment of our lives," recalls Alfieri, who remembers the risky gamble they took heightened by their naiveté. "Today, I would never wire nine grand to someone I hadn't met," Bonde admits, chuckling at their earlier bravado.
Yet, just a week and a half later, two pallets filled with their first products landed on Bonde's family doorstep. Astonished and exhilarated, the duo had effectively placed their lives on the line for their creative ambitions, and it yielded results. Despite the ups and downs, they managed to secure clients as significant as Best Western, both for their medical devices and, later, their pasta sauce.
The success of Sauz arose from their observations at the grocery store. They marveled at how brands like Olipop and Poppi dominated the beverage sector with vibrant packaging and bold flavors, yet the pasta sauce aisle remained drab. Bonde articulated their logic: "We felt like pasta was the lowest hanging fruit with the largest addressable market and opportunity." They realized there was potential for high-quality sauces with attention-grabbing branding.
Initially focused on safety devices to help combat the pandemic, it wasn’t long before the duo shifted gears entirely. They decided to leverage the profits from their initial startup to fund Sauz. "We probably took $150,000—everything we made from the previous business—and put it right back on the table," Bonde explained. Alfieri even sold his truck to add more to the launch money, and Bonde parted with his cherished Mazda Miata.
With startup money flowing, the pair hired food scientists to develop unique sauces, eventually rolling out compelling flavors like Hot Honey Marinara and Summer Lemon Marinara. They were aiming for something distinct, something shoppers hadn’t even realized they wanted. Reflecting on their out-of-the-box approach, Bonde said, "If I surveyed 1,000 pasta sauce shoppers, I don't think any would have suggested Hot Honey Marinara—because they didn’t know it existed yet." This essence of innovation embodies what Bonde and Alfieri are all about.
The duo’s bold flavors hit the shelves at Erewhon, another move they didn’t expect to work so swiftly. To their surprise, after pitching their product to Erewhon’s buyers, they received swift approval for sale—a commendable feat for any fledgling business. "We didn't even have any product ready when they approved us!" Bonde remembered. "It took us eight months to officially launch after we secured the deal, since we faced challenges with sourcing ingredients—especially tomatoes during the pandemic. Other companies were hoarding them for themselves."
Despite the challenges of launching during such uncertain times, the response from customers was promising. When Sauz launched officially at Erewhon, it quickly began to expand to other retailers like Whole Foods and Target. Now, Sauz boasts signature flavors including Creamy Calabrian Vodka and Wild Rosemary Marinara, all retailing between $8 and $10. Their fun, vibrant approach on social media through TikTok and Instagram has also played a significant role, adding nearly $1 million to their bottom line every month, as measured by internal documents.
Bonde’s and Alfieri's colorfully packaged pasta sauces, which leverage both culinary expertise and creative marketing, stand out on grocery shelves. It’s this difference—from eye-catching designs to innovative flavors—that the dynamic duo feels has set them apart from the traditional brands. Yet, they both express gratitude toward their earlier venture of selling devices for schools, claiming, "Without our last business, there really is no Sauz." And with the way they’re handling their entrepreneurial efforts, it appears they are just getting started.