Checkout Chats: Molly Baz and David Carlin, Founders of Ayoh!

Here's the thing about celebrity product launches—they usually follow a pretty predictable script.

1. Hire a formulator

2. slap on a famous name

3. pump out some ads.

4. 💰 profit?

But when recipe developer and content creator Molly Baz decided to launch a mayo brand, she threw that playbook out the window.

Teaming up with David McCormick (a former Siddhi exec who knows the CPG world inside and out after spending 7 years at Whole Foods), they've created something that blew up the second it launched—with orders from all 50 states within their first two weeks. And yes, that includes Alaska (we asked).

The Recipe Developer's Approach to CPG

Most brands would start with a trip to the co-packer. Molly started with a whisk. In her home kitchen, she developed each flavor the same way she creates recipes for her cookbooks and content—testing, tweaking, and perfecting until every variant hit exactly right.

"The heart and soul of each SKU of Ayoh! really was born on my kitchen countertop," Baz explains. "We didn't go to a formulator and say 'we want to make a dill pickle mayo.' I made it myself first—that became our gold standard for what it should taste like. Then we figured out how to make that happen at scale."

This approach might seem old-school in an industry obsessed with rapid scaling, but it's precisely what sets Ayoh! apart. "It's such a bummer," Baz notes, discussing the current state of CPG launches.

"It is amazing how many new companies pop up that clearly just went to market so quickly and got a decent creative agency to brand them... but then you taste it and you're like, this is just not good."

Why a Former Citi Exec Bet on Mayo

For David McCormick, the decision to go all-in on a single CPG brand might seem surprising given his background in the investment world. But as he explains, "What I know about myself is I'm an operator. I like to be in the thick of it, making things and being on this side of the equation more than anything else."

Despite the challenging current climate for CPG funding, McCormick sees opportunity:

"It is a scary time to build a CPG. There's not a lot of funding for CPG in this space. But that's probably the best time to go build a business if you ask me because you really get a clean slate."

Beyond the Creator Brand Playbook

In an era where every celebrity seems to have their own tequila brand (seriously, how many more do we need?), Ayoh! is taking a different route. While Baz's platform has been invaluable for launch, the vision extends far beyond her personal brand.

"We want this to actually be bigger than me," Baz emphasizes. "My dream, my hope for it is that it's at every grocery store in Middle America and people who have no idea who I am are still like, 'Woah, that looks so good. Dill pickle mayo. I have to try that.'"

This strategy is particularly refreshing in today's creator economy. While most influencer-led brands lean heavily on their founder's identity—think Prime Hydration with Logan Paul or Alex Cooper's new Unwell—Ayoh! is deliberately taking a different path. You won't find "by Molly Baz" anywhere on the packaging. Instead, they're letting the product speak for itself, banking on quality and innovative flavors to drive growth.

The Marketing Paradox: When Organic Beats Paid

While many brands exhaust their runway on paid acquisition, Ayoh! has taken a more measured approach.

"Our goal today is to reach as many folks as possible. We don't have to throw a lot of dollars at that today," McCormick explains. "But our goal is to be a household condiment name, and there's certainly gonna be folks that we're gonna have to work a little bit harder to get in front of."

Their current success has been largely driven by organic content, particularly from satisfied customers.

"The coolest thing for me has been seeing how it's organically being spread out through just people who are eating, tasting the mayo, and filming themselves doing it in a really unpolished, unproduced way," says Baz.

And if we've learned anything from CPG darlings like Graza and Fly By Jing, authentic, user-generated content consistently drives more engagement and trust—a recipe (if you will) for CPG success.

The Hidden Complexity of CPG

For Baz, entering the CPG world has been eye-opening, particularly regarding the intricate supply chain and numerous people involved in bringing a product to market.

"I have such a newfound respect for packaged goods and the amount of manpower required to land a product in your hands and in your home," she reflects. "It's absolutely insane how many people it takes to get a product into someone's home."

This experience has given her a new perspective on product pricing and the value chain in CPG: "I will never complain about the price of a product again because it's frankly a miracle that we're able to even make a product, let alone afford it. Given everyone that's gotta get paid down the chain."

Looking Ahead: From DTC to Retail

While Ayoh! has seen strong direct-to-consumer success, their ambitions extend to traditional retail. They're starting with specialty retailers like Foxtrot in early 2025, but their strategy remains channel-agnostic.

"We don't think about channels in silos," McCormick explains. "Customers shop where they shop in whatever moment. Whether they remember they need mayo and want to buy us online because that's convenient, or they're in the grocery store stocking up – we're going to be there for them."

What's particularly interesting is their early geographic reach. While many DTC brands see concentrated coastal success, Ayoh! has found surprising traction in the Midwest. "Ohio ranked really high in states that ordered in the first few weeks of launch," Baz notes. "We were happy to see it because we don't wanna just be a bicoastal elite brand."

Inside Molly's Pantry: A Chef's Favorite Things

Our favorite part of interviewing Molly? Getting a sneak peek into her pantry. As someone who's spent her career developing recipes and exploring flavors, her kitchen offers fascinating insight into the products and brands that inspire her. Here's what we learned she's been loving:

• Mama Teav's Hot Garlic: "So good. It's not great for your breath, but it's so good."

• Grillo's Pickles: A company favorite that aligns with Ayoh!'s appreciation for bold flavors

• Shark Brand Sriracha: A Thai-manufactured alternative to traditional sriracha that's "sweeter and less garlicky, but more acidic"

• Yamajirushi Yuzu Hot Sauce: "So fucking good. I put it on sushi."

• Pommery Fireman's Moutarde des Pompiers: A spicy Dijon mustard from France that Baz keeps in regular rotation

• Ortiz Tuna: Particularly the tuna belly, which Baz describes as "expensive, but so top of the line"

• Japanese Sesame Seeds: A bulk purchase that's become a daily essential – "They're basically salt to me. I put them on everything from scrambled eggs to sautéed greens."

• Forvm Vinegars: Bittersweet vinegars that Baz has been using for years, particularly the Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet varieties. "They're agrodolce vinegars versus just straight-up vinegars... they're really amazing in salad dressings."

This pragmatic approach to distribution, combined with their commitment to quality and authentic brand building, positions Ayoh! well for their next phase of growth. In a category dominated by legacy players, they're proving that there's still room for innovation – especially when it starts in a home kitchen with a whisk and a dream.