3 days ago
Father, daughter use 100-year-old sauce recipe to make memories and a business
A father-daughter duo is using a nearly 100-year-old family recipe to create a business and to share the gift of time together.
A few years ago, Scott Fiedorczyk's mother gave him an 'I love you' note and a sauce recipe before she passed away. Her own mother had given it to her.
He hopes to pass down the recipe to his daughter Mya, 26, when she's ready, Fiedorczyk said in an interview.
He and his four siblings grew up eating jasmine rice mixed with the sauce, which has an Asian flair of sweet and tangy notes and includes pieces of garlic and ginger, Worcestershire and other ingredients. They later discovered that the sauce worked well on meats and vegetables, and began using it for most everything — marinade, dipping sauce, glaze.
Fiedorczyk's mother, Diane, held her recipe close to her chest, so he and Mya collaborated once a year to create their own version, yielding 5 gallons to share with family and friends. They loved it.
As Fiedorczyk prepared for retirement after spending seven years as a food truck owner, he decided to not only turn the sauce into a business, using the original recipe, but also to create a legacy and a revenue stream for Mya, who is on the autism spectrum.
In 2024, the Fiedorczyk family officially launched NaNa Sauce, named after Mya's great-grandmother, 'Nana' — Mable Coker.
Scott and Mya sold 1,500 bottles — manufactured by Ashburn Sauce Co. in Virginia Beach — in six months by selling them at the East Beach Farmers Market, online and in other venues. Then, Scott contacted Food Lion to ask if he could get the sauce on store shelves. His selling points: The product had proved viable; he had shopped there for decades; and Mya works there full time — now for four years. The process was long, he said, but in August his goal became a reality.
Customers can find NaNa Sauce in more than 50 Food Lion stores in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. It retails for $7.99 for 16-ounce bottles — $8.99 on Fiedorczyk's website,
Mya said, 'Working with my dad is awesome and fun.' Fiedorczyk feels the same way but wishes Mya's schedule allowed her to do more with him.
However, the time is well spent, he says: This opportunity teaches Mya business and sales skills. She learns how to build relationships and to give back to the community. A small percentage from the sales of the sauce goes to Aid Another, a Virginia Beach organization that provides programs, resources and events to people with disabilities and their caregivers.
Though Scott will be selling the sauce at a market on Sunday and Mya will be working at the grocery store, they plan to celebrate Father's Day together on Monday, sitting by the pool and later enjoying a meal.
Mya thinks it's wonderful that one day she will be receiving her nana's recipe.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809,
