Then & Now
By Judy Salamacha
If the headline for this column read “Engineers Spice up Pallets” would you question the spelling – “palates” or “pallets?”
Actually, the play on words literally describes what’s happening at The Spice Hunter, a San Luis Obispo-based manufacturing/distribution facility. Owned by C.F. Sauer Company, it employs 70 and packages over a million spice jars a month for the company’s private label, plus several private labels under contract.
Nineteen dried spices, sourced worldwide, are delivered to the 110,000 square foot warehouse and checked for quality, freshness and allergens based on compliance with federal regulations. The ingredients are placed on pallets to be quickly rotated onto the production assembly line.
They are blended, bottled and packaged by employees operating dated equipment that has recently been salvaged and reconstituted by manufacturing engineers in order to adapt to today’s need for speed and efficiency.
San Luis Obispo entrepreneur, Lucia Cleveland, originally developed the Spice Hunter in the 1980s. In 1999, Sauer’s, a Richmond, Va., based company, purchased Cleveland’s company to create a new product line of gourmet spices.
A privately owned business since 1887, it manufactures extracts, flavorings and spices, and sells mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarine and cooking oils under a variety of brand names, including Duke’s, Sauer’s, Gold Medal, Bama and Mrs. Filbert’s.
Several of the original employees are still involved in the company. Controller Karen Woodling joined the company during Cleveland’s ownership and just retired April 3. “We work closely with Sauer’s, but most functions are managed independently.” She explained that Sauer’s adopted Cleveland’s philosophy to use the freshest ingredients and inspire communication and creativity among employees. “We are like a family. We have occasional needs to hire, but employees don’t tend to leave.”
Quality Assurance Manager, Eric Stever, is a Cal Poly graduate in manufacturing engineering. He is responsible for quality control of the raw ingredients — from arrival through distribution. He strives to operate over and above federal guidelines for food manufacturing, which he said is a highly certified and regulated industry. His management style encourages employees to apply their expertise and innovation.
“When I joined the company the equipment needed work. It was functional but aged,” said Stever. He hired production engineer Doug Black and credits him for keeping the equipment running and modifying it “to produce more efficiencies on the lines.”
For example, cameras were installed at multiple places on the line for more efficient inspection checks. Stever proudly states the company’s modified method of manually filling the spice jars “always gives the customer more than the listed weight.”
Jeff Severn is another innovative Cal Poly engineering graduate who serves as the company’s engineering manager and is working with Black to increase packaging speed to box product for shipping.
Daniela Massey, product development manager, creates new blends for the marketplace. She offers customer advice on the best ways to maintain spices’ flavors and freshness. “The Spice Hunter always lists best buy dates.” She explained a spice’s shelf life can last anywhere from 6 months to 2-3 years. “To guarantee a spice maintains full flavor keep it in a warm dry place,” she said, “not over the stove where it is subject to steam. While cooking, shake the spices into your hand before sprinkling. Always avoid moisture getting into the spice jars.
“We buy natural products after their first cutting to guarantee the most flavors. We don’t use salt unless salt is a listed ingredient — like garlic salt.”
Massey conducts consumer surveys to determine which spices are most popular. Turmeric, cinnamon, thyme, cumin, chili powder and poppy seeds were recent favorites. “I have fun finding flavor with herb blends without salt.” She recommended trying salt-free “Chef’s Blend.”
According to The Spice Hunter website (see: www.spicehunter.com), the company has 35, natural, salt-free products. “Blends take the guesswork out of seasoning,” it states. “With the growing concern over fat and sodium, our blends are the easiest way to add flavor to low fat, low flavor foods without adding extra fat, calories or salt.”
Mail order purchases are available with free shipping for orders over $25. Currently, The Spice Hunter products are available at Whole Foods, The Crushed Grape and Arroyo Grande’s Spencer’s Fresh Foods.
Non-fiction author, and former Bay News publisher, Judy Salamacha’s column is special to Tolosa Press. Reach her at: or call 801-1422.