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Adam Michaels, CEO of Mama’s Creations, joins Food Institute Vice President of Content and Client Relationships Chris Campbell to discuss how the deli category is evolving and why this rapidly growing segment is primed for innovation. A veteran of global CPG and strategy roles at Booz Allen Hamilton and Mondelez, Michaels shares how Mama’s Creations has transformed from a regional meatball company into a national, full-service deli solutions provider serving retailers across all 50 states.
During the conversation, Michaels explains how the company is addressing some of grocery retail’s most pressing challenges, including labor shortages, changing consumer meal preferences, and the need for greater efficiency in the deli case. He outlines how Mama’s Creations supports retailers with a wide range of prepared foods, proteins, sides, and globally inspired flavors — all designed to simplify in-store execution while maintaining quality and consistency for shoppers.
Michaels also details how strategic acquisitions, vertically integrated manufacturing, and a disciplined focus on metrics are fueling the company’s growth. As the only publicly traded deli company in the U.S., Mama’s Creations is leveraging scale, operational rigor, and data-driven decision-making to compete in the $40+ billion deli prepared foods category, while continuing to expand its national footprint and product capabilities.
Transcript (Edited for Brevity/Clarity)
The Deli Opportunity and Mama’s Creations’ Evolution
Chris Campbell: Mama’s Creations started as a meatball company, but it’s clearly much more than that today. How do you describe the business now?
Adam Michaels: The deli is a huge category — about a $60 billion space overall. If you take out sliced meats and cheeses, which we don’t play in, you’re left with roughly a $40 billion prepared foods opportunity. When I say “deli,” I mean anything behind the glass, hot bars, cold bars, grab-and-go, refrigerated prepared meals — across grocery, club, mass, and convenience. Our goal was to stop being a Northeast meatball company and become a one-stop shop for the deli, and that’s what Mama’s Creations is today.
Making Life Easier for Retailers
Campbell: You’ve emphasized making things easier not just for consumers, but for retailers. Why is that so important?
Michaels: Labor is one of the biggest challenges retailers face. We used to sell kits where stores had to combine meatballs, pasta, cheese, basil — all of that required labor. Retailers told us, “Can you make this easier?” So now we do everything for them. They take it out of the box and put it on the shelf. If I can make the buyer’s job easier, we win. It’s just as important as delighting the end consumer.
Packaging Flexibility and Product Strategy
Campbell: How do packaging and format flexibility fit into that strategy?
Michaels: It’s about understanding our customers. Some want bulk — 20-pound boxes for club stores. Others want fully assembled meals for one with zero labor. We offer everything across that spectrum. It’s not just variety of products, it’s variety of solutions. That’s how you become a manufacturer of choice.
Why the Deli Category Is Growing
Campbell: You’ve talked about this being a particularly attractive category. Why does the deli stand out?
Michaels: This is a growing category, which is rare in food right now. It’s a triple win. Retailers love it because the deli is one of their highest-margin areas and it drives trips. Consumers love it because they can get a high-quality, fresh meal for under $10. And manufacturers benefit because we’re participating in real growth. Compare that to center-store categories that just aren’t expanding.
A Disciplined M&A Strategy
Campbell: Mama’s Creations is also active in M&A. What’s your approach?
Michaels: We’re going to be a billion-dollar business. Half will be organic growth, half acquisitions. My M&A strategy is simple: first, it has to be in the deli. Second, it needs its own manufacturing and distribution. Third — ideally — it’s west of the Mississippi. I’m not just buying revenue; I’m buying capabilities, talent, space, and infrastructure. That’s how we scale intelligently.
Integrating Manufacturing and Operations
Campbell: How do you integrate acquisitions operationally?
Michaels: We operate as one plant across multiple locations. We move production dynamically based on demand and efficiency. That flexibility lets us grow without just adding more equipment or people blindly. Scale also helps us upstream — we can negotiate better with suppliers because we’ve reached critical mass.
Metrics, Automation, and Performance Discipline
Campbell: You’re known for being very metrics-driven. How does that influence the business?
Michaels: What gets measured gets improved. I track profitability by item, by order, by customer — every week. If something falls below our margin targets, we address it immediately. Metrics allow us to be proactive, not reactive. That discipline has helped us improve margins, eliminate debt, and build a healthier business.
Leadership, Culture, and Long-Term Growth
Campbell: Any final leadership lessons you’d share?
Michaels: It’s all about people and culture. You can’t muscle through growth alone. I spent three years building the right leadership team. Transparency, communication, and shared accountability matter. If you invest in the right people and empower them, the business will take care of itself.
