How a single shelf of imported spices in a Metuchen kitchen became a trusted American specialty-foods purveyor.
A former hospitality buyer turned specialty-foods entrepreneur, Wayne founded Mamar Specialities in 2014 after a long career sourcing ingredients for some of the East Coast's most respected restaurants. The frustration he kept running into — inconsistent freshness, opaque supply chains, generic blends pretending to be artisanal — became the blueprint for a different kind of company.
Today, Wayne still personally tastes every new product before it hits the catalog. The Mamar warehouse in Metuchen, New Jersey is staffed by a small team that genuinely loves food, and it shows in every order that leaves the door.
"Good ingredients are the simplest way to cook better. Our job is to make sure they actually are good."
— Wayne Whiteman, Founder
We'd rather sell less of something extraordinary than more of something average. Every product can be traced to a farm, mill or producer we know personally.
Spices lose 50% of their aroma within a year of grinding. We grind, blend and ship in small lots so the product on your shelf is the product we'd cook with at home.
You can call us. A real person — usually one who has tasted what you're asking about — will answer. That's a feature, not a quirk.
Mamar opens as a single shelf of imported spices in Wayne's home kitchen.
Moves to a small retail space on Main Street, Metuchen.
Begins supplying 50 East Coast restaurants and specialty grocers.
Webster Street warehouse opens; ships to all 48 contiguous states.
Our warehouse welcomes wholesale buyers and curious cooks alike. Schedule a visit, taste new arrivals, and meet the team behind the labels.
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