Patti LaBelle is proving once again that her talents extend far beyond the stage.
According to Fox 26 Houston, the Godmother of Soul was in Kingwood, Texas, on Tuesday, October 21, for an autograph signing event at Kroger, celebrating the launch of her latest addition to the Patti’s Good Life food line: a pancake and waffle mix.
Fans lined up early for the chance to meet LaBelle, with the first 200 customers walking away with photos and memories alongside the music icon.
The event marked another milestone for a brand that started small but has grown into one of the most successful celebrity food businesses in the country. What began in 2008 as a way for LaBelle to share her love of cooking has expanded into a household name found on shelves at Walmart, Target, and Kroger. The line features everything from savory dishes to desserts, with her sweet potato pie and peach cobbler standing out as fan favorites.
LaBelle’s partnership with major retailers has turned Patti’s Good Life into a food empire.
According to Essence, the brand raked in nearly $200 million in gross sales in 2023. Signature items like her sweet potato pies and macaroni and cheese accounted for roughly $85 million of that total. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said, “Even today we’re selling more than five times the number of sweet potato pies than we did before we launched our Patti sweet potato pie.”
The business has remained true to its origins, built around LaBelle’s own recipes and her reputation for home-cooked quality. “People think of me as a cook, someone who’s going to give them quality food,” LaBelle said to Forbes. “And I don’t put my name on anything unless it’s 110% perfect.”
From her early hot sauces launched in Philadelphia to the frozen meals and desserts now lining freezer aisles nationwide, LaBelle has built a second career that resonates with audiences who grew up on her music and now bring her food into their kitchens.