Spicing things UP

Shelf Talk

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Its minimalist white-and-green rectangular packaging caught our eye. So Thursday Food picked up one of the Local Spice boxes off the supermarket shelf to examine it more closely. Two phone calls later, we had Marvin Stuart, one of the meat seasoning company's directors on line. He and his twin Marlon head Local Spice. He assured us that the seasoning, which can be used for poultry, fish, pork and beef, has no MSG in its contents.

"I got the idea for the product after my wife [Shani] and I had decided to give a unique token to guests at our wedding. We made them sauces and got great responses after they used them."

Six years later, when the twin brothers were brainstorming for a business venture, Marvin remembered his culinary creation. The brothers fine-tuned the recipe, using family and friends as guinea pigs to perfect the final product. Finessing their plans, Local Spice was officially launched on the market last year.

Marvin said the barely year old product has been successful. It's no idle boast since he disclosed an estimated 35,000 pouches are manufactured weekly at the Barbican-based factory. Locally grown escallion, thyme, onions, Scotch bonnet peppers and pimento are among the ingredients in Local Spice. Stuart stressed to Thursday Food that his company is a firm supporter of Jamaican farmers. "We work closely with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and they source the products we need from local farmers," he added, noting that Local Spice spends an estimated $2 million weekly on raw materials.

Sold in the Hi-Lo and Progressive Group supermarket chains, Local Spice is also exported to the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria and Lebanon. The company is presently in negotiations with Wal-Mart retail chain to carry Local Spice in its expansive network of North American stores.