Erica Gillespie, founder of the Black woman-owned brand Feisty Spices, was inspired by her grandmother’s southern Alabama cooking and cultural Ghanaian roots to create a line of seasonings that celebrated her culinary heritage. After years of hard work, her products, including the collard greens spice blend and the chitterlings spice blend, are now sold in Walmart and other retail stores.
According to Black Business, Gillespie is a distant cousin of the late jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie. She started her culinary journey after watching her grandmother in the kitchen using different spices to make classic dishes. In 2020, she launched Feisty Spices in Atlanta, and five months later, she received her first $30,000 purchase order from a well-known grocery chain willing to distribute her products in stores nationwide.
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Gillespie was passionate about creating a brand for consumers to enhance their cooking skills. She believes in using healthy ingredients to combat health issues like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Several of her products are low sodium, keto-friendly and contain no MSG, per Black Business.
“Feisty Spices isn’t just a seasoning; it’s a cultural necessity,” Gillespie said, according to the outlet.
“At Feisty Spices, we understand the importance of providing healthy and flavorful spices to customers, which is why our products are organic, vegan-friendly and low in salt,” the website states. “This makes our spices an ideal choice for health-conscious customers who want to add flavor to their dishes without compromising on health.”
In addition to the Collard Greens Seasoning and the Gourmet Chitterlings Seasoning, Gillespie also offers the following spices: Soul Food Sunday seasoning, Sassy Sazon seasoning, Lemony Lemon Pepper seasoning, and Garlic and Herbs seasoning.
All Feisty Spices products can be bought via Walmart’s marketplace in the U.S. and Mexico. The products can also be purchased on Amazon Prime, from the Feisty Spices website, in Pic n Sav grocery stores in Alabama, and in various stores across Atlanta.
“I will continue to create unique blends in hopes of providing healthier options for cooks across America that don’t compromise flavor,” Gillespie said of her vision for Feisty Spices.
