A homegrown culinary brand with roots in Elgin County is now seasoning national television.
Pepper Tree Spice Co. has been announced as the exclusive spice provider for Season 8 of MasterChef Canada, giving contestants access to 90 of the company’s all-natural, additive-free spices and blends.
myFM sat down with owner Deb Kussmann, who shared how honoured they were when they first got the news.
Kussmann adds that producers first reached out in February, ultimately selecting the local business from several contenders. And while they are in the dark in terms of what dishes are being created each week, Pepper Tree’s spices are definitely in the spotlight.
Founded 15 years ago as a small booth at the Western Fair Farmers Market, Pepper Tree has since grown into a national brand with four locations – including Port Stanley, St. Thomas, Bayfield, and still standing strong at the London-based market. And as Kussmann shared, the company continues to handcraft every spice blend in-house at its St. Thomas production site.
At its flagship store in Port Stanley, Pepper Tree offers over 300 individual spices and 100 blends, along with a full cooking studio that hosts weekly culinary classes and experiences. And it’s clear the team’s passion for food and flavour has paid off — both on-screen and here at home.
Kussmann explains that on September 25th, MasterChef gave them the “okay” to share the big news with their customers. That same day, Pepper Tree was honoured with the Elgin County Small Business Award at the 16th annual Elgin & St. Thomas Small Business Awards.
The MasterChef partnership also comes with some special tie-ins for home cooks shares Kussmann, with a limited-edition “Cook Like a Contestant” spice collection now available.
Fans can also join in on social media, where customers have been spotting the company’s distinctive bottles during recent MasterChef episodes and sharing screenshots of their “spice sightings.”
Season 8 of MasterChef Canada airs weekly on CTV and Crave through December, with Pepper Tree’s spices featured throughout the competition.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
