Yaya's

Tasting Heritage

When Michael Anagnos was considering his future after leaving a family business, he chose to spend the summer exploring a new hobby before jumping into his next career. Growing up, Michael was immersed in Greek cuisine. His Yaya, or grandmother, was from the beautiful island of Crete in Greece and spent many years sharing her delicious cooking and culinary traditions with the family. Inspired by this deeply-rooted heritage, Michael decided to bring a piece of it to the local farmers’ market. In 2017, he set up a booth to sell authentic, homemade hummus. 

He sold out of his hummus in just 30 minutes and realized there might be more to this than just a summer hobby. After a few more trips to the market, Michael decided to launch his Greek almond dip, and customers went crazy. It’s savory, protein-packed, versatile, and delicious. The best part? It’s made from healthy, wholesome ingredients. Originally called skordalia, the dip was traditionally made with stale bread, but Michael replaced it with sweet potato, making the recipe simpler and fresher. 

Michael chose to name his business Yaya’s in honor of his grandmother, who instilled in him a deep love for food and family, and he went all in. As his business grew, he was blessed to find a commercial kitchen where he could prepare his delicious dip. The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, now the Honey Creek Collective, became his second home as he continued his journey with Yaya’s.  

In the food industry, having access to a commercial kitchen is crucial, but in 2021, Michael feared he might lose his production space. The building was sold to new owners, but to Michael’s surprise, the buyers, Jody and Jason Neu, expressed their belief in and support for his ongoing business growth. They weren’t interested in more money; they simply wanted to see Michael succeed as an entrepreneur whose business also supported his family. They kept the kitchen available for him to continue using and producing. 

By this point, Yaya’s was growing rapidly. Michael was not only attending several farmers’ markets but also starting to sell in select small stores. When COVID-19 hit, he felt grateful that the food industry never slowed down. In fact, more people than ever realized the value of supporting small, local producers, so farmers’ markets became even more popular than they already were. 

He started selling wholesale to Sendik’s, and from there, things only grew. Now, Yaya’s has crossed state lines, and Michael is working to expand his reach. 

“We have a disruptive product,” Michael says. “It is a unicorn, it’s a one-off, unique, healthy product.”

One of his favorite parts of the business is making clean choices easy for consumers. While the food industry is filled with unhealthy choices, Michael is proud to offer people a healthy, wholesome option instead of an overprocessed dip. 

“When I go to the farmers' market, do the sampling, and give people a taste of what I’ve got, seeing their eyes light up lets me know what's going on in their mouth,” Michael says. “I understand what's going on in their mind. They're tasting real food. It’s fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, real almonds, real olive oil, real sweet potato, real apple cider vinegar, real honey, and real jalapeños. It’s something beautiful as I watch them light up.”

Michael's next step is using high-pressure pasteurization to prolong his product's shelf life. He remains dedicated to continuous growth and feels incredibly blessed for all the support he’s received throughout his journey.  

He has found himself surrounded by people who want to help him find continued success. One of these individuals is Lucy from Doudlah Farms. She has helped Michael connect with new stores without expecting anything in return. When Lucy heard that Seasonal Harvest was looking to supply a customer with salsa, she immediately connected the team with Michael, knowing his dip is better than any salsa on the market. From there, Yaya’s began distributing dip through Seasonal Harvest, adding to the amazing support. 

“Whenever I get on the phone with Sheri, we start by talking about business, but we always end up talking about life. We talk about helping others, being good people, and being good stewards of the space we’re in,” Michael says. “Every conversation reminds me of the well of love I’m surrounded by.’”

Michael believes that giving back to the community that has supported him is at the heart of what he does. A portion of every Yaya’s sale goes to hunger relief, and he’s pursuing accreditation to help people further.

Today, Michael is grateful for his small but mighty team, including John Kaspryk, who handles production, and his longtime friend Billy Hintz. 

What started as a summer experiment has turned into a business rooted in the beautiful heritage of his Yaya. For Michael, it’s not just about the dip; it’s about the community, supporting one another, and creating something meaningful.