Often after a few too many beers at a BBQ, you might find yourself nursing a banging head and all manner of regrets.
Kier Kemp on the other hand experienced a moment of clarity that would go on to change his life.
He had been an unashamed condiments enthusiast for as long as he could remember (the signs were there with the amount of ketchup he would shake onto his plate at every meal) and after reviewing other people’s sauces on Instagram, had a tipsy epiphany.
He said: “I’m the kind of person who would go on holiday and be excited to pick up an interesting jar or bottle in the supermarket. My fridge is always half full of different condiments, jams and pickles and seasonings.
“The idea of the sauce reviews was just a joke, but that account soon started to get a bit of traction because it was niche and I realised there are quite a lot of people out there like me, which I know is a weird thing to be into. We said we reckon we could have a pop and give it a go ourselves. And then it got out of hand.”
Kier working on the next batch of sauce
In his clanking fridge collection lurks the first bottle of artisan hot sauce that he and his partner Jen created in 2018, named Smokey Dragon, flavoured with the world’s second hottest chilli. It would go on to win a Great Taste award three years later, the first of many in their trophy cabinet.
When it all began, Condimaniacs were selling a couple of bottles a week. Five years on and they are routinely receiving 100 orders a day.
Working from two kitchen and packing units in the friendly Hopewell Business Centre in Chatham (found after falling in love with beautiful Rochester and moving there from London in 2009), the loan from the Kent and Medway Business Fund supported a staff member, which soon became two full time posts. It also funded investment equipment including canners, powder packers, rapid chilli choppers and larger, quality cookware to aid efficiency.
Kier said: “It gave us the safety net to try new things and maybe take a couple of risks that we wouldn't have felt able to do in the economic climate. Without that kind of buffer, we wouldn't have been able to do the Club Maniac subscription service nor develop new products. It gave us that little bit of financial freedom to be able to experiment, and that has massively paid off.”
The team is relocating to larger production premises down the road in the Lordswood Industrial Estate in January 2025.
However, their business model will remain the same because of the success they are having with their loyal and growing Condimaniac community, who give a chef’s kiss to the clever social content that Kier, also a member of the Fearless Vampire Killers alternative rock band, takes care to create.
Kier says the KMBF support offered the financial freedom to allow for experimentation, which has reaped rewards
Kier said: “I learned important business skills and how to be an entrepreneur without even realising it from being in the band, which was really helpful. I thought to myself if these were fans and not customers, how would I approach this?
“I believe that being a cult brand is the best business model, and that doesn’t mean you have to be small. Apple is a cult brand in many ways, so too is Nike a cult brand, and some of the stuff Elon Musk does, like Tesla.
“Building a strong relationship with your customers and being good to them is the best thing you can do, and it is also a smart commercial move. You get back what you put in.
“People ultimately buy from people, no matter how good to product is. So whether it is our social media or our email newsletters, being a real human behind what they are buying means they feel something, rather than just getting something off Amazon.”
One of Kier’s favourites from their range is the All The Ranch seasoning and dressing, an attempt to master the elusive flavour so well done across the Atlantic.
He was seen on Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars show, but the business’ growth has been driven by hanging out in online spaces like TikTok and vibing with fellow condiment addicts. Syncing with how they consume their content has led to them consuming his sauces.
That loyal Condimaniacs fan base is used as a sounding board for new ideas. But they will not be able to buy their favourite products from one of the major supermarkets.
Sticky, sweet and smoky with a hint of spice - they are proud of their Maple Jalapeño BBQ Sauce
Kier said: “We are first and foremost an online business. As I say, I want the relationship with our customers. So many food businesses trip over themselves to be in the supermarket and that’s what we’re told we should want. Never say never, and call me an idiot, but if Tesco came knocking, I think I’d refuse. I’d much rather sell a lot fewer items at a higher margin than create a sweat shop, which is what we don’t want to do.
“As far as inspiration goes, it's a mixture of what we find interesting and inspiring and what isn't readily available out there. Quite often we get asked could we do our own version of Heinz Tomato Sauce. Er, well, no, because that already exists. No one needs that.
“But we do make a Maple Jalapeño BBQ Sauce with the syrup from our candied jalapeños, known as cowboy candy. It’s a lot of fun.”
Further information
- The Kent and Medway Business Fund would love to hear about your brilliant business in Kent and look at how it might help to move things forward. Visit Kent and Medway Business Fund - Kent County Council
- Find out more about Kier and co by visiting www.condimaniac.com
