Mr Vikki's

Mr Vikki's, artisan hot sauces from Cumbria

Mr Vikki's is a small artisan producer of chilli pickles, Indian chutneys and hot sauces based in Penrith, in the North Lakes area (Cumbria, United Kingdom). The company presents itself as multiply awarded and states that it makes all its recipes with fresh, natural ingredients, with no compromise on quality.

Its founder, Adam Marks, worked as an award-winning chef in the Lake District before becoming an artisan sauce maker in 2005. The project began at home with a five-litre pot, selling at markets and supplying local shops, and today it has a small production unit. According to the company itself, all recipes are original and he makes them himself.

Small-batch production

Production is carried out in small batches using fresh ingredients and freshly ground spices. The process incorporates freshly chopped ginger and garlic and different types of fresh chillies. The company states that it has declined to enter supermarkets in order to maintain the artisan character of the product. The team is completed by Dan in the warehouse and Roxy and Kim in office tasks.

Product catalogue

The catalogue is organised into several families:

• Jams: Korean Chilli Jam, Strawberry Kiss, XXX Chilli Jam, Cranberry Chilli Jam and Garlic Pickle.
• Chutneys & Pickles: King Naga, among others.
• Hot Sauces: Brown Red & BBQ, Harry's Brown Sauce, Hot Coriander Sauce, Hot Stuff Carolina Reaper, Hot Stuff Chilli Sauce and Max's Urban Ketchup.
• Curry Sauces: HHH Madras Curry Sauce, Hot Goan Curry Paste, North Indian Curry Paste, Special Keswick Curry Sauce and Superhot Phall Curry Sauce.
• Other references: Chilli Mafia, Cajun Magic, Emperor Naga, HHH2 – Heavenly Hot Habanero, Roxannes UCC Chilli Oil, North African Harissa, Scotch Bonnet Fudge and Sir Raja Sriracha.
• Gift sets: Brown Red & BBQ, Luxury XXX Hamper, Mr Vikkis Indian Pickles Hamper and Scotch Bonnet Fudge.

The shop also classifies products by heat level: mild, warm, medium, hot and very hot. Among the most popular references is Banana Habanero, described by the company as one of its star products.

Awards

The website shows a counter of more than 252 awards, with mentions of Great Taste, the Golden Forks, the Clifton Chilli Club and the Cumbria Food Awards. In its presentation text, the company details more than 178 Great Taste Awards since its beginnings and two Golden Forks for the best food product in the north of England. It also highlights three products honoured with Great Taste.

Sales and market presence

In addition to online sales, Mr Vikki's attends a weekly market in Keswick and offers the possibility of supplying shops interested in distributing its products. The company notes that it depends on repeat sales and thanks its customers for their support.

Location and contact

Mr Vikkis Ltd, Myers Lane Business Park, Myers Lane, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9DP, United Kingdom · Phone: 01768210102 · Email: info@mrvikkis.co.uk