Korean cuisine is delicious, and one of its staple dishes is kimchi. Mama O’s Premium Kimchi is an authentic recipe made the traditional way in Brooklyn. Founders, Kheedim Oh and Myung Oh appeared on season 14 of Shark Tank. They didn’t get a deal but Mama O’s Premium Kimchi is still worth $2.5 million.
Life Before Kimchi
Kheedim Oh is the son of South Korean immigrants who settled in Maryland, United States. He moved to Washington, DC, to study audio engineering at American University. After college, he lived in New York City.
Although he has a degree, Kheedim never really worked a 9 to 5 job and was a hustler, taking different gigs to make ends meet. Contrary to what many may think, he loved his lifestyle. One of his main side hustles was DJing and spent a lot of time trying to break into the entertainment industry.
The Mama O’s Story
One day, Kheedim craved kimchi but didn’t like what local stores sold. He called his mom to teach him how to make his own kimchi but he couldn’t finish by himself.
Friends loved it, and after a butcher asked to carry it, Kheedim began selling it more widely. Over time he shifted from casual sales to a full business, producing kimchi for stores and restaurants. He got into Whole Foods and started using Facebook to get customers.
Mama O’s Premium Kimchi eventually became a national brand and despite tough economic conditions in 2022, the company was recognized by Forbes for its strong growth.
Mama O’s Premium Kimchi is Still Operating
Mama O’s Premium Kimchi didn’t secure a deal on Shark Tank, but the exposure helped expand its reach. The brand was already stocked in Whole Foods and Williams Sonoma, and post-airing it got into additional grocery chains such as Albertson’s, Safeway and Walmart, while maintaining presence on Amazon and its own site.
Rather than focusing heavily on direct-to-consumer sales online, founder Kheedim Oh prioritized retail distribution, noting that shipping fermented kimchi can be difficult.
The Shark Tank episode did result in a sales bump, especially in physical retail, though online sales were less dramatic. Annual revenue reached around $1.6 million by mid-2024.
Mama O’s now offers a broader product lineup beyond ready-to-eat kimchi, including kimchi paste, DIY kits, dehydrated options and a kimchi-inspired hot sauce. The brand’s founder also promotes kimchi culture through events like Kimchipalooza.
Products remain available in major retailers and smaller stores across the U.S. Most of the kimchi products have a rating of over 4 stars on Amazon and were ranked by tastingtable.com as the 5th best Kimchi brand.
Long-Term Outlook
Fermented Foods Trend
Fermented foods, including kimchi, have been growing in popularity for health reasons (gut health, probiotics), with some product categories posting double-digit growth in recent years. That broader trend gives Mama O’s category tailwinds even without major investor backing.
Scalability Challenges
Mama O’s growth has been organic and careful rather than explosive. While this means slower revenue scale compared with venture-backed brands, it also means the company keeps tight control over quality and operations, something core to its identity.
