Freeman launched Mama Pat’s Foods in 2009, according to BlackBusiness.com. His Los Angeles-based company sells instant ramen noodles. Unlike most packaged ramen noodle soups, Freeman set out to create a healthier option. His ramen noodles come in low-sodium and no salt varieties. Flavors include lamb stew, chicken fajita, seafood gumbo, and chicken taco.

 

He “uses concentrated yeast extracts with his own secret spice blend” and poured his life savings into the business, according to Oxygen.com.

 

His largest customer base, ironically, is the prison industry. Prison commissary service providers have ordered 310,000 packets and cups of his ramen soups, reports CivilEats.com. In fact, the site also reports that several inmates at a Wisconsin correctional facility wrote to Freeman asking for his healthier ramen noodle soups.

In an interview with The Ramen Rater, Freeman says his ramen contains 40% less sodium than other brands.

 

“We are using less salt and replace it with real vegetable flavors that are custom blends and are patented by our company and can never be duplicated by the mega brands I compete with

 

Freeman has a history as a food entrepreneur. Before his incarceration he operated a hot dog cart. He had a catering truck, selling tacos and burgers. He also opened a restaurant in 2010, but it has since closed,he also succeeded in placing his Frozen Gumbo Bowls into over 6,000 stores on the west coast

 

He told CivilEats.com that he wants to use his business to also do some good

Freeman says his goal is to open a factory and focus on hiring the formerly incarcerated—who typically have a hard time securing employment after their release—something to which Freeman can relate.

“I’m going to hire people like me that [are] just hungry, wants to do something with their lives, I wanna give them a shot,” he said in the interview.

 

The Ramen Truck saved the day...

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Freeman was just getting things going In late 2019 when the Covid-19 pandemic started. Unfortunately for him many orders where canceled and Freeman was stuck with a warehouse full of inventory.

What are we going to do with all this product? Well I used my savings to purchase a used food truck converted from a RV. I began to sell the ramen direst from our truck to make sure the brand didn’t die out during Covid-19. We survived and now we are really ready to take the ramen world by storm..

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Chef Ron spends a lot of time talking and inspiring young chefs and business owners. He’s never to busy to attend a food give a way or talk with troubled kids if prison inmates.”I think I can make a huge difference in what we eat and how we promote our food products”