Our Story
Summer 2008
Wow, summer 2008 already! Time has literally flown by since we started growing chillies on a larger scale back in 2006 when the idea that is Completely Chilli was born. It really is high time we updated you with all thats been going on since then- so here goes!
Remember the last time we had a real summer? Thats right, 2006. The weather was very kind to us and ensured the 500 plants in our polytunnel had a massive crop of big ripe chillies. These were all lovingly transformed into the beginnings of our range of delicious chilli sauces, jellies and relishes.
By February 2007 we were ready to begin selling our chilli products and began to attend farmers markets, our very first one was a lovely crisp Saturday in February in St Ives. We were overwhelmed by the popularity of our stall and began to attend more farmers markets in the Cambridgeshire area. As the word spread about our company we were contacted by various people and you will have noticed our products starting to appear on the shelves of local farm shops and delicatessens.
Very pleased with the demand for our products we invested in a second polytunnel in spring 2007 and doubled the amount of plants grown to enable us not only to make even more of our lovely chilli sauces but also to give you the opportunity to buy fresh chillies and to try something different to the usual supermarket selection.
As the demand continued to grow we again put up a new polytunnel in the spring of 2008 and again increased the number of chilli plants grown, we are now up to 1500+. So far this year we have been attending lots of special events such as food shows and country fairs and it has ben lovely to see so many of you there. The chillies have enjoyed the recent spell of hot weather and we are starting to harvest the first chillies of the year - its always so exciting to fetch my basket and begin to pick the first ones! The next few weeks will see us focusing on a new range of products to complement the current range of sauces and jellies and we are excited about perfecting the recipes and then bringing them out to markets with us for you to try & to buy. We will also be bringing back the ever popular fresh salsa which is perfect for those summertime BBQ's and al fresco dining. We are looking forward to installing a smoker in the next couple of weeks which will enable us to make some lovely BBQ sauces. To find out which varieties we are growing this year please visit the chilli facts & varieties page.
So, how did it all start...
The Idea
After working for large international companies for a number of years we had a real desire to go it alone and set up our own business.
We were looking for something innovative and fun and spent a long time discussing and looking into various ideas. We soon noticed a definite theme emerging - all our ideas revolved around food!
Having always enjoyed cooking and experimenting in the kitchen this was no real surprise. A family background in growing and horticulture teamed with our experiences of travelling the world to places where the use of chilli in cooking is abundant meant the idea was born.
Planning
Initial research indicated that there was a definite market for chillies and chilli products. The use of chillies in the UK has increased dramatically over the past 10 years and is mainly due to an increase in world travel and peoples ever expanding tastebuds.
Having grown chillis in the garden for several years we were confident that we could grow them on a larger scale.
As we began discussing our idea it became apparent that in general people were not aware that chillis would grow successfully in our climate. Everyone gave an overwhelming response which showed a huge interest in chilli products.
Recipes were sourced and we began to trial products. A delighted group of friends and family became our official tasters and soon the final product range was decided.
Starting Up
The polytunnel was ordered and with several weekends of work the framework was erected and then we waited for a sunny and still day to fit the polythene sheeting! We called in favours left right and centre and got a team together to help unfold, stretch, pull and eventually secure one huge sheet of polythene over the framework.
The varieties we would grow were chosen, an insulated 'bubble' was prepared and the seeds sown. After a tense couple of weeks the seeds began to germinate. By the end of May a total in excess of 600 plants had been planted out into the tunnel.
