Medicine Hat salsa company grows to Western Canada retail

A Medicine Hat food business that started with backyard garden tomatoes and a table at local farmers' markets has grown into a regional brand sold at multi-location retailers across Alberta and into parts of Western Canada, the City of Medicine Hat's economic development office said Friday.

Brandi Matthews launched Brandi's Salsa seven years ago with no formal culinary or business training, selling small batches made from vegetables she grew herself. It was not until the pandemic that she decided to pursue the business seriously.

"I had no idea where to start or who to ask for advice," Matthews said. "At one point, pure determination kept me going because of how much extra work it required."

The company's products are now carried at South Country Co-op and Nutters locations and through an e-commerce site developed in partnership with Medicine Hat College. The product line has grown from a single salsa to eight flavours, a Dragon's Breath hot sauce and premium tortilla chips. The current bestseller is the mango salsa. All products are made without preservatives, additives or artificial ingredients and are described as vegan-friendly.

Matthews sources produce from local greenhouse operators in Medicine Hat and Southeast Alberta, purchasing based on flavour and freshness rather than appearance.

"I don't need A1, aka pretty, perfect-looking produce," Matthews said. "What matters to me is taste and quality. That's something I know that I get from these local producers."

The company operates out of a commercial kitchen in downtown Medicine Hat and employs several full-time workers, including Matthews's 72-year-old mother. Matthews said she pays a premium to keep production in the city.

Growth has been supported through loans, grants and programs offered by Community Futures Entre-Corp and the Food and Beverage Processing Entrepreneur Development, or FEED, program.

Scaling production further presents a practical obstacle. Matthews uses a manual chop box to preserve the chunky texture customers expect, and Southeast Alberta currently has no local food-grade co-packing facility capable of handling larger production runs. Without that infrastructure, expanding beyond current capacity could eventually require moving some production outside the region.

Each batch undergoes specialized testing for quality, safety and consistency before products reach shelves.

Brandi's Salsa products are available at South Country Co-op and Nutters locations and through the company's website.