Launched in 2014 after founder Mari discovered a niche/ gap in the market for a nutritious, delicious vegetable packed convenient and easy to use sauce. Inspired by her young son Ben, who at the age of three, decided he wasn’t eating any more vegetables. Like any concerned parent, Mari worried that her young sons nutrition, he wasn’t getting his five a day. As pasta sauce was a sauce Ben really liked, Mari decided to blend lots of fresh vegetables through her homemade pasta sauce recipe.

“I just refused to buy the shop bought jarred sauces as they had high sugar and salt content plus they were laden with preservatives, msg and other unnatural ingredients – something I just didn’t want to feed my family especially Ben being such a picky eater, so I started making my own. I always wanted to start my own business and had a love and passion for cooking and food.

Mari started blending lots of fresh vegetables like onions, garlic, red peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh basil all through her own pasta sauce recipe! She doesn’t add salt, no preservatives, no hidden nasties.

Mari set off to have her pasta sauce nutritionally tested and was delighted when the results came back.

‘I knew now I had a really good product and was determined to set up my food business'

And so Dan & Monstro was born. Dan and Monstro are two actual hand puppets that Ben named and adored as a baby.

As Ben was the inspiration behind his mum’s business, Mari wanted her brand to be named after these cherished puppets.