Although it has taken a Durban North sauce business a few years to get their flavour profile right, the owners are reaping the rewards as their sauces carries the sting that is award winning -- not to mention addictive.
FRANKIES Sauces & Marinades, owned by Frank and Claire Dunn, recently took part in the KZN Chilli Festival hosted by Chilli Fans SA in Ashburton, Pietermaritzburg. They claimed first place in the mild and spicy category, this after the couple’s hot and mild chilli sauces were the winners at the Great East Coast Chilli Fest in March.
The couple were also finalists in the Ultimate Braaimaster season one currently on Netflix.
Claire who is full time in the business, after being retrenched from work in 2020, shared that their range of sauces include the DBN Sting, a flavourful mild hot sauce and the DBN Sting hot sauce made with Carolina Reaper chillies.
“Our Taste of Morocco marinade goes well with lamb, steak and venison while the Taste of Mozambique is based on our travels to that country. The marinade goes amazingly well with chicken, prawns and fish.”
She told the Sunday Tribune that before registering a formal business, they often made sauces and marinades for friends and family who encouraged them to take their talent into the market.
Presently, the couple supplies at least eleven local food establishments, a number they are working on growing.
“We officially sold our first bottle of sauce in May last year. The best selling sauce is the DBN Sting, whether you are in a fine-dining establishment or having an eggs Benedict or just a ham and cheese sandwich, it goes well with anything. We believe you are able to produce restaurant quality foods in the comfort of your own home with our sauces.”
Claire said what set their products apart was their attention to detail and their patience over the years, which enabled them to get the perfect flavours.
“Looking back from the beginning, it took about thirteen years to get the flavour profile right. We focus on flavour not just something to burn your mouth, and you cannot taste anything else after that.”
For the small business, the local competitions have assisted with exposing and building their brand and they have plans to take their winning products across the borders.
“The wins were not expected at all. It was a bit scary seeing all the chilli stalls and being in our first chilli sauce competition, but we did know that the flavour profile of our sauce was unique and amazing from all the feedback we got from our customers and the restaurants we supply. We were impressed when we won on the mild but when we won the hot category we were in disbelief, but extremely over the moon with excitement. The Dbn Sting has customers from the USA, New Zealand, UK and Australia who have taken some bottles back home with them.”
Claire said since she started managing the sauce business, she had also learned important lessons on keeping it afloat and sustainable.
“I have learned valuable lessons about the importance of cash flow, being able to improvise when ingredients are not available but keeping the consistency. To date, the only complaint we have received was from a restaurant owner that our sauces are too addictive and their customers keep coming back for more. We want people to keep choosing our products because ours have a unique flavour profile suitable to the African market.”
SUNDAY TRIBUNE