Yankees legend Rivera promotes Mo’s Heat at NJ ShopRite event

The basics:

• Yankees legend Rivera introduces Mo’s Heat hot sauce to fans at ShopRite in New Milford
• MLB-licensed line features three habanero-based sauces inspired by his pitches
• Rivera says the brand is rooted in Panamanian family recipes, culture
• Proceeds from sales will support the Mariano Rivera Foundation

New York Yankees pitching legend Mariano Rivera is bringing the heat to New Jersey this summer with his new brand of hot sauce.

During a June 26 meet-and-greet at ShopRite in New Milford, the 13-time MLB All-Star introduced hundreds of fans to Mo’s Heat.

Produced in partnership with Panamanian hot sauce producer D’Elidas, the officially licensed MLB collection features three distinct habanero pepper blends named after Rivera’s iconic pitches.

Described by Mo’s Heat as sauce with “authentic flavor” and a “modern, elevated approach to heat,” the line consists of:

• The Cutter: “a blend that starts smooth then builds into a satisfying, lingering heat”
• The Curve: a flavor that is “bright and herbaceous with a crisp but balances heat from green habaneros”
• The Sinker: an “approachable” sauce with a richer and more rounded flavor, featuring fully ripened peppers with gradual heat and subtle sweetness

Old family recipe

A Panama native, Rivera said Mo’s Heat is based on a family recipe that dates back more than 120 years.

The five-time World Series champion has described the venture was “very personal.”

“No matter where baseball took me, I always carried Panama and Puerto Caimito with me. This brand is about sharing a piece of my culture, my roots and something authentic with the fans who have supported me throughout my life,” he said.

“This isn’t just putting my name on something. We built this with intention, with quality and with partners who represent real Panamanian flavor and tradition,” he said.

“The heat, the love and the passion that we put into creating this product is just second to none,” he said, adding, “We want to represent Panama here in the U.S.”

A new pitch

Rivera retired in 2013 after a 19-year career with the Yankees. In 2019, he became the first player unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Since leaving the mound, Rivera has built a portfolio of business ventures. Those include automotive dealerships in New York and other consumer brands, such as a purpose-driven coffee roaster specializing in ethically sourced beans from Central American regions.

He has also remained active through the Mariano Rivera Foundation. His 28-year-old nonprofit supports education, youth development and community programs in the U.S. along with charitable initiatives in Panama.

According to Rivera, some proceeds from Mo’s Heat will go toward his foundation.

“Always, always, anything that I do, a percentage of that, we’ll give back to the community,” he said.

The ‘perfect’ time

According to Rivera, development took about four months and was timed to coincide with a historic summer unfolding in the U.S.

“We have the World Cup playing right now and then we just had the U.S. Open [golf] and the U.S. Open coming up for tennis. Those are major events. We have the summer, Fourth of July and the country coming up on 250 years of existence,” he explained.

“That’s a lot of great ways to bring something special in a special year. Bringing it now, the time is perfect,” he added. “I believe this has to be in people’s houses ASAP – especially this summer.”

Like any entrepreneur, Rivera said there were challenges starting Mo’s Heat. But, he relies on lessons learned on the ball field to push through.

“That’s doing it with passion and doing it with love. The same way that I pitch and work in the field, that’s the same thing that I put in these sauces. Work with passion, make sure that everything is good and to make sure that we connect with the right people,” he said.

Getting in the game

Along with posing for photos at the Inserra Supermarkets-run store in New Milford, Rivera gave attendees a chance to sample the sauces ahead of broader distribution.

A member of Keasbey-based retailer cooperative Wakefern Food Corp., Inserra is a family-owned company with nearly two dozen ShopRite locations North Jersey and Rockland County, N.Y.

According to a Wakefern spokesperson, Mo’s Heat will be hitting the shelves at other Inserra-run stores soon.

The New Jersey debut comes a few weeks after Rivera exclusively introduced Mo’s Heat at fellow Wakefern member Cingari Family Markets’ ShopRite stores in Connecticut.

Rivera officially entered the hot sauce game in May when he unveiled Mo’s Heat at the MLB Flagship Store in New York City. The release was timed to coincide with the start of Rivalry Weekend’s Subway Series.

Mo’s Heat can also be purchased online for $9.99 per bottle or $27.99 for “The Starting Lineup” 3-pack of each flavor. The website includes recipes and mealtime inspiration.

‘Go the extra mile’

According to the company, there are plans to expand into additional retail locations across the tri-state area in coming months.

Rivera said, “We have a lot of great Yankees fans here – a lot of people that are truly, truly Yankees fans. Not only in New York, but Jersey and Connecticut.”

“We’re happy that we created something special for the fans … The most fun is seeing the fans and reaction,” he said.

Rivera described Inserra and Cingari as the perfect partners for the Mo’s Heat rollouts in New Jersey and Connecticut.

“They’re great with the customers, great with the people. And that’s who you want to partner with – family-oriented businesses … When you have something special, you want to put in in the best places. And that means people that think like us and people that care like us.”

“And when you care about the customers and the fans, you want to give them the best. So, you go the extra mile to make sure that you keep the fans happy and make the best product for them,” he said.

Rivera isn’t the only MLB Hall of Famer who has popped into a North Jersey supermarket recently.

Longtime Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz was at Stew Leonard’s in Paramus earlier this month to celebrate the launch of a premium rum inspired by his childhood in the Dominican Republic.