Aji Gourmet Products Ltd. - BC Marketplace

Aji Gourmet Products Ltd.

We make unique chunky chili sauces and guacamole mixes focused on flavour, healthy ingredients, and versatility.

We are a family from Colombia and we immigrated to Canada back in October of 1999. As it is our culture, Dyana (mom) continued to make Aji for us to put on all of our food. To keep a little slice of home in the fridge (Aji is the Spanish word for “pepper” or the name of the typical mixture of tomatoes, onions and cilantro). When the kids began playing sports (hockey and soccer), Dyana and Carlos (dad) were invited to a potluck dinner, and being South American, were asked to bring the guacamole. Dyana had never made guacamole as it is not a big part of Colombian culture but she knew she could figure something out. In the last minute, Dyana decided to just mash the avocado and add the Aji we had in the fridge. Well the guacamole was a HUGE hit! People were even using their fingers to get the last bits in the bowl, and went on to tell Dyana that she should make it and sell it. Dyana didn’t think much of it. The family then moved to the Lower Mainland as Carlos is an Architect and got work here. At dinners, Dyana then volunteered to bring the guacamole and continued to get the same response. By chance, Dyana got the contact information of a lady who dealt with specialty foods, so she decided to reach out. After meeting with the lady and letting her try Dyana’s Aji, she received a call from a distributor the next day saying that if Dyana made it, he would sell it. They met at a coffee shop and the gentleman gave Dyana a to-do list in order to get the company started including where to find the bottles, where to print labels etc. Dyana did her homework and got everything set up when she was contacted by a friend of a friend who owned a shop and wanted to carry Dyana’s Aji! We then had an assembly line at the production facility with Allison (daughter) filling the jars and weighing them, Carlos putting on the lids, Dyana, Nicholas (son) and Augusto (grandpa) putting on shrink wraps and stickers. That is where the company started, and we now sell in most major retail chains in Western Canada.

We are still a family business and we make unique chunky chili sauces. Aji is a South American product that can be used as a condiment, marinade, dip, hot sauce and even as a mix. Our products are made with all natural ingredients, no preservative, zero sugar, gluten free and are also keto friendly. Our company focuses on flavour, healthy and versatility. Our products are very unique as there is nothing else like them in the market. We are still a small company but have recently begun selling across Western Canada and are growing at a strong pace.

First, we make premium quality products that are flavourful, but most importantly, do not overpower the flavour of the food you put it on. It compliments them. Secondly, we have achieved this flavour profile only using healthy ingredients and zero sugar. They are also low in sodium and carbs. We hit all of the growing consumer trends including being keto friendly which is important to have on today’s menus. Other than allergies, our products can be enjoyed by everyone, including those with religious or dietary restrictions (besides Kosher). Lastly, our products are incredibly versatile. You can use them on their own on absolutely everything from meats to salads, burgers to wraps and can also use them as mixes. When mixed with avocado, it makes gourmet guacamole (as mentioned above). You can also make a zesty tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and a sweet chili sauce, all by mixing our Aji with different products.

We respectfully acknowledge our place of work is within the ancestral, traditional and unceded territories of the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and that we serve the Peoples of the many Nations throughout British Columbia.