Our Story

Why “Yamo”? “Yamo” is a shortening of the Italian phrase, “Andiamo,” which means “Let’s go!” And it’s the nickname of our company’s founder.

Francesco “Yamo” Iatarola was born 1919 in a farmhouse in Melrose Park, Illinois. He earned the nickname “Yamo” for his energetic and always on-the-go temperament. In 1941 during World War II, Yamo enlisted in the army. Shortly after, he shipped out to the Pacific front and was stationed in Papua New Guinea.

Army food did not compare favorably with the authentic Italian cooking he was used to back home. Yamo soon discovered that New Guinea had an abundance of pigs, which played a major role in their cultural festivities. Sensing an opportunity, Yamo began making Italian pork sausage.

After the war, he returned to Melrose Park and opened up Yamo’s Super Foods, a purveyor of the finest Italian sausage and prime meats. He continued to make homemade Italian pork sausage until he retired from the store in 1979.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Yamo’s son Mark makes the sausage according to the original recipe honed to perfection over the past 50 years

Yamo’s Italian Sausage is hand-trimmed, using the highest quality pork, natural casings, organic spices and GMO-free ingredients.