Changing the world with hot sauce

Matt Blake shows off one of the oak barrels in which he ferments Afghan-grown peppers for his hot sauce. Blake is seeking financial support for his venture via Kickstarter.com. Sue Cockrell/Enterprise photo

Trying to change the world — even a little bit — is not easy, but most would agree it’s worth the try.

It’s like the Chinese proverb states: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Davis resident Matt Blake is taking that first step to try to bring a little more stability to planet Earth, and he’s inviting others to join him on the trek.

Using Kickstarter.com, Blake is forming the Afghan Pepper Company to give Afghani farmers the chance at growing a legal trade crop, which will be processed in Afghanistan and sold around the world.

“All I’m doing is offering an option,” said Blake, who moved to Davis in July, “by creating a market for peppers and by creating or giving money to existing processing plants for production. It’s a start.

“In a way, I’m selling really expensive hot sauce, and the other thing I’m selling is change in Afghanistan.”

Blake, who became more aware of the plight of the Afghani people after a friend spent time there, experimented with various food options before settling on peppers.

“I tried pomegranates, strange spices and anything else that would grow in Afghanistan,” he said. “Some of the stuff was really bad. I settled on hot sauce. It can sit on shelves, and I don’t have to do any consumer education.”

The former Bay Area entrepreneur did have to educate himself on the process of making hot sauce. He follows the same process as traditional tabasco sauce, which includes fermenting in oak barrels for at least six months.

According to his research, the traditional sauce is sealed for three years. He doesn’t have any product that old and believes the six-month process provides great taste.

The Afghan Pepper Company hot sauce has 10 “secret” ingredients, all of which grow easily in Afghanistan.

“I can’t tell you what all is in it, but when they’re combined it makes a great sauce,” said Blake, who tests the product on friends and family.

Once the company has its funding, Blake will be able to make large batches and have more tasting. That’s where Kickstarter comes into play. The online company says it’s “a new way to fund and follow creativity.” Musicians, filmmakers, writers, whoever, can post a project on the site and seek financial backers to help make it a reality.

“This is for creative projects, not businesses or investments,” he said. “I’ve backed a handful of other projects. There is just something satisfying about helping people reach their goal.”

Meeting the goal is the twist for Kickstarter. After a project is listed, the money goal is named and a timeline is set. Individuals have until said date to reach their financial goal. They can set up incentives on their website to encourage people to donate more.

For example, Blake will give anyone who donates $18 or more a 2-ounce jar of seasonings, plus a thank-you note and postcard. If a backer wants to give $500 or more, they get the previous items plus a limited-edition knife and apron.

However, if the deadline arrives and the endeavor has not reached its goal, the project gets none of the pledges, and those people who pledged are not charged.

The Afghan Pepper Company has a $25,000 goal and a Feb. 1 deadline. As of this morning, $8,020 has been pledged by 60 backers.

“Getting Kickstarter funded means we can work on commercializing the sauce, so we can work on perfecting it and then transferring it to Afghanistan,” Blake said.

Blake, who has worked with farmers across the country, sees the idea very similar to futures. The Afghan Pepper Company would pay Afghani farmers ahead of time to grown the ingredients necessary for the sauce. The sauce would be manufactured in country and then sent to stores around the globe.

“It would be a sustainable thing in the country without me,” he said. “I don’t need to be there. If they make me leave, it can still help the people of Afghanistan.”

For more information or to sign up as a backer, go to www.kickstarter.com/projects/matthewpblake/the-afghan-pepper-company.

Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=125079

Posted by Kim Orendor on Jan 17 2012.
Last Login: Sat 19 May 2012 02:59:12 PM PDT
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