‘Our garlic sauce is our bread and butter, so to speak. It has very minimal ingredients, is shelf-stable, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It’s gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, so it checks a lot of boxes’
A family-owned food manufacturer from Huntsville is making waves in the condiment world with its signature garlic sauce and a growing lineup of gourmet products.
Andrew Allen is with Muskoka Brand Gourmet, a local food manufacturer out of the “adventure capital of Ontario” due to its natural environment and natural resources.
But it’s getting a growing reputation for food.
The company mainly specializes in gourmet condiments such as garlic sauce, hot sauces, jams, jellies, chutneys, and infused oils.
Muskoka Brand Gourmet has been in business since 1962 and relocated from Manitoulin Island in 2019 to Huntsville.
“We relocated due to a family member moving to the area to become a teacher. We were able to do our part of the business from anywhere, and we still have the farm on Manitoulin Island. We have a manufacturing facility in Huntsville now, about 8,000 square feet, with seven staff, depending on the time of the year.”
The small family business prides itself on creating products that are handcrafted and made the old-fashioned way, using top-choice Ontario produce and 40-year-old family recipes to create delicious products worthy of your home and table.
“It tastes really good,” Allen tells BayToday enthusiastically. “Our garlic sauce is our bread and butter, so to speak. It has very minimal ingredients, is shelf-stable, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It’s gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, so it checks a lot of boxes.”
It’s so successful that it’s available throughout most major retailers now in Ontario, like Independent Grocers, Sobeys, and Costco.
Allen was busy at a booth at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair’s Northern Ontario Agri-Food Pavilion. The Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario – FedNor, is funding the pavilion, which has been a key feature at the Royal for over 20 years.
See: 47 Northern Ontario agri-food companies to showcase at Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair
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The booth was busy with people trying out the free samples.
“Oh, it’s been amazing. We haven’t been here since before COVID, so coming back to the Royal has been interesting to say the least. A lot of old, familiar faces are recognizing the brand coming back and wanting to chat. We have our new line of products.
“We’ve got all of our sauces and condiments now available in dip cup portions. So individual portions, like you get when you order a pizza, and it’s been going really well.”
“Using Muskoka maple syrup, we have created some signature jellies that finish off that charcuterie board to perfection,” says the company website. “Sure, there is toast, but do not forget to use it with cheese and meat or even nacho chips. There are also our Muskoka pepper jellies! Unlike most grocery store brands, our jar is packed with peppers and not gelatin. One sweet and one hot will be sure to please all family members.”
It also suggests using gourmet garlic oils for bread dippers, salad dressings, or marinating.
“Keep them close by the stove and add that amazing taste of garlic that is so healthy!”
“Fednor has been a huge help to us and has kept our business growing rapidly over the last couple of years as we tried to scale up to meet the demands of large retailers such as Costco,” Allen tells BayToday. “So we love our northern communities. We love all the support that we get from our customers, our clients, and all the rest.”
The company has recently opened a new retail store for customers to shop, taste, and watch the Muskoka Brand Family creating and packaging products in the in-house kitchen.
This year’s edition of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs from November 7 to 16 in Toronto,