Two bottles that do the most work on a holiday table.
Samples, hi-res photography, prices and tested recipes for two clients. Everything below is cleared for editorial use. Take what you need.
Tamarind Heads
A BBQ sauce built on raw tamarind instead of tomato, which makes it a glaze rather than a slather. It caramelizes onto a ham or turkey instead of sitting on top of it.
Southern Living named Tamarind Heads its go-to sauce for summer, for grilled salmon, chicken wings, and basting a roast chicken. Syndicated to AOL and MSN.
Read the piece →The lineup
Original Bold
sofi Gold winnerThe one that started it all. Tart, tangy, smoky and sweet with just enough heat. The gateway for traditional BBQ lovers.
Equator Nectar
Turn it upA complex spicy-sweet blend that delivers serious heat without sacrificing depth. Built for heat seekers.
Spiced Honey
New · featured in Southern LivingThe newest and mildest. Subtle warm sweetness on the same clean tamarind base. The gateway for anyone new to tamarind.
Fast facts
| SKUs | Original Bold · Equator Nectar · Spiced Honey |
| Size | 14 oz (336 g) |
| Price | $12.99 · duo packs $23.38 |
| Made of | Six ingredients: tamarind, sesame, chili powder, brown sugar, salt, spices. Vegan, gluten-free, no preservatives or corn syrup. Contains sesame. |
| In stores | The Fresh Market nationwide Central Market Texas-wide Fairway NYC DeCicco & Sons Upstate NY A growing number of independent grocers nationwide |
| Online | tamarindheads.com |
| Founded | Launched June 2024 after five years of R&D. Began as an MBA project at Dartmouth. |
| Ownership | Minority, women and veteran-owned |
| Social |
@tamarindheads Share recipes with #TamarindHeads and #TasteTheFutureOfBBQ |
Why it works for holiday
- Tamarind caramelizes into a glaze on a ham or turkey rather than sitting on top of it.
- Three heat levels, so a roundup can pick a lane instead of hedging.
- Holds up on roasted root vegetables, which covers the vegetarian side of the table.
- Under $13 and shelf-stable for two years, so it works as a host or stocking gift.
The people
A visionary entrepreneur born in India, Sashi brings deep cultural knowledge of tamarind's significance in South Asian cuisine to Tamarind Heads. His childhood memories of watching his mother serve food at local farmer's markets directly influenced the company's commitment to authentic flavors and cultural appreciation.
A Chinese-American entrepreneur with family roots in Malaysia, Brittney champions Tamarind Heads' commitment to clean-label ingredients and ethical sourcing. Her passion for connecting modern American consumers with authentic Asian flavors drives the company's innovative approach to traditional ingredients.
With over 30 years of experience in the food industry, Jim's expertise in production, quality control, and flavor profiles has been instrumental in perfecting the Tamarind Heads BBQ Sauce.
Credentials
- 2024sofi™ Gold Award, Best BBQ Sauce. Specialty Food Association. A three-person startup beat national brands in blind judging by chefs and industry experts.
- 2024McCormick & Co. Flavor of the Year: tamarind. The world's largest spice company named the hero ingredient, citing its tang, versatility and depth. See the announcement.
- 2026Southern Living named it the one barbecue sauce their editor would use all summer. Syndicated to AOL and MSN.
- 2026The Kitchn named it one of the eight best things they tasted at the Summer Fancy Food Show. AOL covered the sofi win separately.
- 2025Martha Stewart Fancy Food trends · CNET 8 best of 17 tested · Food Republic on non-tomato BBQ · Simply Recipes · Chowhound · The Food Institute
Assets — direct download
Tested holiday recipes
Some of these are written up and ready to send today. Others are concepts we will build out for you. Either way, tell us your angle and we will develop the recipe around it: your heat level, your dietary constraints, your holiday. The co-founders and chef Jim Giberson are glad to collaborate directly on something original to your piece.
For broadcast
Recent morning show rounds:
About Tamarind Heads
Tamarind Heads brings a bold, better-for-you spin to BBQ. Inspired by global kitchens and powered by tamarind, this award-winning brand crafts sauces that are clean, vibrant, and full of flavor. It's BBQ for modern eaters, where tradition meets creativity, and taste never takes a back seat to quality.
Ciao! Sicily
From volcanic soil to your table. Organic, non-blended Sicilian extra virgin olive oil from groves near Mount Etna, some trees over 250 years old. Bringing taste and joy to your food.
The lineup & prices
Finishing Oil
Truffle
Chili
Basil
Rosemary| Finishing Oil flagship | $22.99 · 500ml / 16.9 fl oz · squeezable recyclable PET |
| Infused, each | $12.99 · 100ml and 250ml aluminum cans · truffle, chili, basil, rosemary |
| Infused Gift Pack | $39.99 · four-pack |
| Cooking Oil | $17.99 · 750ml / 25.4 fl oz · squeezable recyclable PET |
| Kitchen Set | $37.99 · finishing + cooking |
| Selezione | $45.99 · 100% organic single Giulia olive, early harvest, first cold pressed, hand-picked · 600+ mg/kg polyphenols |
| Merch | Apron $8.99 · trucker hat $9.99 · tees $15.99 · hoodie and sweatshirt $19.99 |
Why it works for holiday
- The gift tier is already built. Infused at $12.99 and the four-pack at $39.99 land exactly where foodie gift guides cluster.
- A finishing oil gets used at the table, not stored in a cabinet. That's what makes it a gift and not a pantry staple.
- Selezione at $45.99 covers the splurge slot in the same guide.
- Single-origin and non-blended, the real point of difference in a category full of supermarket blends.
Best uses
Finishing pasta · drizzling over pizza · bread dipping · salad dressings · finishing soups and vegetables. Anywhere pure olive oil flavor should shine. This is not a background ingredient.
Fast facts
| Where to buy | Online only, at ciao-sicily.com. Not yet in retail. Target placement is Whole Foods, Sprouts, Fresh Market and independent specialty grocers. |
| Launched | October 2023. Grew from 200 liters shared among friends to nationwide DTC. |
| Sourcing | Non-blended, single-origin. Volcanic soil, Mount Etna region. |
| Certifications | Organic and kosher |
| US operations | Cornelius, North Carolina. Bottling, labeling and sealing in-house. |
| Social |
@getciaonow |
The story an editor can actually use
Americans consume about 1 liter of olive oil per person per year. Italy is 18. Greece is 21. The brand's own framing is that the US market isn't saturated, it's undereducated, and most Americans have simply never tasted real extra virgin olive oil.
Milton Vavassori started by hand-bottling oil from his family's grove near Mount Etna and giving a few hundred liters to friends. The reaction was always the same question: where can I buy this. That's the origin, and it's the piece worth pitching.
“Olive oil should taste alive. My goal is simple: bring Americans the real flavor of Sicily, exactly as it's meant to be experienced.”Milton Vavassori, co-founder
“This isn't just about selling olive oil. It's about changing perception and creating a category people finally care about.”Pedro Sega, co-founder
“Great design respects culture. Our role is to honor Sicily visually, without turning it into a cliché.”Daniel Manzi, creative director
The people
Sourcing and operations. His family's olive grove near Mount Etna is where Ciao! began, hand-bottled and shared with friends until the same question kept coming back: where can I buy this. Family heritage traces to Bergamo in northern Italy.
Brand, marketing and partnerships. Over 20 years in growth, positioning and innovation across multinational brands, now building a category most American shoppers have never really tasted.
The Italian-American cook behind one of the largest food followings on the internet. Over 13 million on TikTok, more than 8 million on YouTube, 25 million-plus across platforms. Author of Italian/American: It's a QCP Cookbook, Betch! (DK / Penguin Random House, 2024) and host of The Angry New Jersey Cooking Show. Paper Magazine called him the Pasta King.
A North Carolina story as much as a Sicilian one: Gianluca grew up in his family's Italian restaurants in Charlotte, and Ciao's US bottling facility is twenty minutes up the road in Cornelius. Available for interviews on the brand, the sourcing, or Italian-American cooking generally.
Trained in Rome and Madrid, with over 50 international awards. Leads the brand's creative direction and storytelling.
Assets — direct download
Recipes on file
- Sicilian Eggplant Caponata
- Focaccia
- Classic Basil Pesto
- Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
- Orange & Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
- Gorgonzola Olive Oil Spread
- Marinated Peppers
Some of these are written up and ready to send today. Others are concepts we will build out for you. Tell us the angle and we will develop the recipe around it.
About CIAO!
CIAO! is a single-origin, organic extra virgin olive oil brand from Sicily, founded by Milton Vavassori. Every bottle traces to a single harvest from 250-year-old groves on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna. The full portfolio includes base extra virgin, finishing oils, infused varieties, and the Selezione premium reserve. CIAO! is available at ciao-sicily.com.
Want samples?
Tell me which brand, and for Tamarind Heads, your heat level. I'll get it out the same day. Recipes, additional photography and founder interviews all available.
PR & Communications | Big Smile Co.
brittney@bigsmile.co · bigsmile.co · @big_smile_co
Holiday 2026 · Last updated July 30, 2026