Spice blend secrets

Tampico Spice Company, Los Angeles, is reportedly one of the first to package spices in convenient cellophane bags. The company grew steadily to become spice importers, processors of their own herbs and spices, as well as spice blenders.

Today, the family-owned company is a recognized supplier of herbs and spices to innumerable clients including a growing number of meal kit companies.

“We sold to Blue Apron until they ‘outgrew’ us and now use a co-packer,” said Tampico’s account manager, Allen Morris. “Currently, we supply industrial spices with consistent flavor and freshness to Chef’d, Martha & Marley Spoon, Purple Carrot, Gobble, and others."

Spices are a small part of an ingredient list but they can heighten overall dish flavor, so meal kit chefs often turn to Tampico’s R&D department for help.

“Sometimes we come up with blends, sometimes they do,” Morris said. “Some chefs ask us to develop something with a little more or a little less heat; we’ll develop, then send them a sample for approval.”

Having created an estimated 5,000 customer blends over five decades, the company has the expertise to basically provide whatever chefs want.

He particularly enjoys tracking flavor trends, noting how some spices and blends are only popular for a year or two. Currently, he sees gochugaru Korean chili powder and Aleppo peppers are having their moment; ras el hanout, a Moroccan-style spice blend, is also popular this year.