Shraman Mitra
Entrepreneurs and co-founder Kheedim Oh and Myung Oh appeared on ‘Shark Tank’ season 14 episode 3, hoping to impress the Sharks with their product, Mama O’s Kimchi. Kheedim claimed that the kimchi originated from his mother’s recipe, which gives it a delicious and homemade taste that commercial kimchis are unable to achieve. As the product looked incredibly delicious, we decided to jump in and discover more about the company, including how it’s fared since appearing on the show.
Mama O’s Kimchi: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Kheedim Oh, the mastermind behind Mama O’s Kimchi, completed his Bachelor of Science in Audio Engineering from the American University in 1998. Following his graduation, Kheedim embarked on an illustrious professional career and made a handsome living in New York City. However, his heart yearned for some delicious kimchi, a traditional Korean pickled cabbage side dish, made by his mother. Unfortunately, the kimchis available in stores were unable to satisfy his tastebuds and were either too bland or full of wrong and unnecessary ingredients.
On the other hand, Kheedim did not know how to make kimchi all by himself. Thus, as his parents resided in Washington, DC, he made occasional trips to his home, where he persuaded his mother to teach him the art of making kimchi. His mother, Myung or Mama O, as she’s affectionately called, taught Kheedim her kimchi recipe and even made multiple batches when he was at home. As a result, Kheedim started bringing boxes of kimchi back to his apartment in New York City on a regular basis.
Eventually, Kheedim’s friends and acquaintances in New York City got to taste his mother’s kimchi and fell in love with it. Hence, every time he visited his home, he was bombarded with requests to bring back kimchi for everyone. This practice went on for quite some time, and soon Kheedim realized that if the kimchi was this popular, people might be willing to pay for it. This idea gave birth to Mama O’s Kimchi as Kheedim co-established the company along with his mother and started selling her beloved dish.
Mama O’s Kimchi prides itself on being as authentic as can be and claims that they do not use any unnecessary components. Moreover, the kimchi is made from original Napa cabbage with fish sauce, contains natural ingredients, and is full of probiotics.
Where Is Mama O’s Kimchi Now?
Kheedim mentioned that he had never dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur or starting a company. All he wanted was some delicious kimchi, but his friends and acquaintances pushed him and encouraged him to turn it into a business venture. Likewise, Kheedim never expected his product to gain much popularity in the commercial field and was pleasantly surprised when stocks began flying off the shelves. Readers will be surprised to know that the company had a humble beginning as they used to make batches of kimchis in a basement before delivering them to their customers.
However, with an increase in popularity, Kheedim was able to employ more people, open a production facility, and increase his production rate exponentially. Hence, Mama O’s Kimchi now delivers to local restaurants, bodegas, and grocery stores. With time, Kheedim decided that he should increase his catalog, so apart from selling their famous Kimchi, Mama O’s presently offers products such as Kimchi Paste, Kimchili, and Dehydrated Kimchi. Moreover, the company sells a kimchi kit that allows users to make their own kimchi at home.
Interested customers can find Mama O’s products on Amazon as well as their official website, and the kimchi, while being available in different flavors and even a vegan option, can be purchased in various quantities, namely 32oz, 68oz, and 128oz that cost anywhere between $55 to $93. On the other hand, the other condiments range between $15 to $18.99, while the Kimchi Kit demands a price of $45. Witnessing Mama O’s rise in popularity has been quite inspiring, and we wish them the very best for the years to come.
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