Our Story
Let's get SAUCED with Maluku Spice!
I am so excited to introduce my new company Maluku Spice. Oma's Indonesian Peanut Sauce!
We are Dutch Indonesian of Origin; in Dutch, Oma means grandma. My beautiful mother, who made it to 95 years of age, went home to be with the Lord in March of 2023 and envisioned me going all around the world with something God would give me.
For years she always told me that I make the best Indonesian Peanut Sauce.
After she passed, I decided to make some peanut sauce and comfort grieve eat. Yes, there is such a thing!
With many challenges and everything in between, God made this product and company possible! Jesus is the founder, president, and pilot. I am the co-pilot!
Mom was a professional singer all over Europe with her good friend. He would play the guitar, and they both would sing. My Father was their manager and got them several gigs. Their stage name was MALUKU DUO. (God wanted me to name our company Maluku Spice. I found out after the fact that the Maluku Islands were known for their spices, and my mother was born in the Maluku Islands of Ambon. Maluku Spice was born!
The peanut sauce also originated in Indonesia. Who would have thought, right? I started making the sauce for family and friends to try and buy. Water bath canning took me 7 hours to make 12 8oz. Jars!
Never having canned before, that was a few weeks of learning from my dear friends Lana and Bill.
I wanted labels for the sauce, so I called my friend Sherry to help me design them. She suggested we meet at a mall called RIVERPOINT at the Panera Bread for lunch. We put my mother's beautiful face on the label, including Matthew 22:37.
Why do our bottles have the scripture verse Matthew 22:37?
That has a story too. For a solid year, I would call my mother and teach her to understand the bible. At 95, she memorized ten verses.
She only had enough strength in her final hours to recite one verse. The first commandment.
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment." - Matthew 22:37
How did I get to the manufactured 12oz bottles and a spicy version of our sauce?
That is a whole other story! Two months into making a few jars at a time and selling this sauce, I found out I needed to meet the Colorado Cottage Food Law Act.
I went into a tailspin of discouragement and hit every door to be closed from me continuing this journey—no finances to fund my new endeavor.
One day, I was taking a long walk and saw a license plate that read GOING UP. I felt like I was GOING DOWN!
After endless research, I found a small manufacturing co-packing company near my home. I thought it was a company where they just sold sauces at a storefront. It was called DANNY CASH HOT SAUCES.
I could not believe it when I found out his store was across the parking lot from the Panera Bread at RIVERPOINT MALL! You cannot make this stuff up!
The owner made time in his busy schedule for me because he said there was something about me. This was a God-shot divine appointment. He tasted the sauce and absolutely loved it. He encouraged me to make a spicy version, also.
Buckle up if you like hot!
The peanut sauce is fantastic on egg rolls, spring rolls, chicken skewers, fish, meat, rice, noodles, potatoes, vegetables, and so much more! My favorite is a chicken rice bowl with rice and sauteed vegetables! For a snack, cucumbers and hard-boiled eggs! My family and I were raised on this sauce and ate it on almost everything!
July 4th, 2023, I picked up my first 350 12oz. Bottles and 750 sample packets!
We are shipping all around the country, and Mama is going worldwide!
Thank You For Stopping By!
Our company, Maluku Spice, is in the building block stages. In the coming months, we will have our products in local stores in Colorado. You can also find us at farmers markets, events, and festivals which we will announce.
Stay tuned for recipes which we will publish on our website.
Thank you for supporting Maluku Spice!
God Bless!
Brigitte Dennis
