Guy Fieri sauces are latest product line for Gia Russa

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

On the Food Network, Guy Fieri travels to diners, drive-ins and dives across the nation. His latest stop? The aisles of your local grocer.

Gia Russa has launched a four-flavor line of Guy Fieri barbecue sauces. The sauces are Pacific Rim, Kansas City, Carolina No. 6 and Bourbon Brown Sugar.

This is the second line of celebrity-chef sauces for the company, following the 2009 launch of sauces by Mario Batali, a restaurateur, author and TV chef.

“We knew we were looking to diversify from the Gia Russa brand, and we were looking for something that would be easily recognizable to consumers,” said Johnny Coury, vice president of brands for Gia Russa. “Both brands have the capacity to expand.”

Coury said the Guy Fieri line has no high-fructose corn syrup, and three of the flavors — Kansas City, Carolina No. 6 and Bourbon Brown Sugar — are gluten-free.

Four salsa flavors — Original, Seven Pepper, Chipotle and Salsa Verde — will launch under the Guy Fieri brand in about a month, Coury said.

Consumers also can expect more Mario Batali products to hit the shelves. Coury said the company has plans to add to that line in the near future, but he could not elaborate.

He said the Batali brand, which has four pasta sauces and one pizza sauce all made with no preservatives, has been well-received by customers. The sauces are made with San Marzano imported Italian plum tomatoes and fresh herbs. Other than the pizza sauce, the Batali line contains no paste or pur e.

“It is kind of a rarity to have these kinds of sauces, without paste and pur e,” Coury said. “Mario is very demanding, as he should be, and his recipes are wonderful.”