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Tell us a little bit about you. Who you are, a little bit about your background, etc.

Antoinette (Nettie) CharlesOwen is no stranger to good foodand hard work. She was born in Curacao and spent her youth growing up in Dominica, the Nature Isle of the

Caribbean, prior to emigrating to Canada. Nettie is no stranger to the kitchen, having developed a love for cooking at a very young age. She spent a great deal of time assisting her mother, who was a very good cook, to prepare the family meals and special treats. Today, she still uses her mother's recipes in her cooking, including that for her gourmet hot peppersauces. She worked in the banking industry for over 40 years during which she held several positions in the branch network including Branch Manager, Small Business Account manager, Sales Manager - Small Business, Business Systems Analyst, and several positions in the Bank's National O ce.

In her last position, Nettie handled very complex client irritants working very closely with senior management and stakeholders to ensure mutually satisfying resolutions for both clients and the Bank. From her work experiences, Nettie brings a wealth of customer relations knowledge and sound business acumen to running her company e ciently

What’s your business and when did you start it?

Nettie’s Nah Joke Hot Peppersauce originated in my kitchen in 2013 as the result of a bountiful harvest from a few hot pepper plants I had found at my local nursery and planted in my kitchen garden. Not one to waste and given my love for cooking, I made my rst batch of sauce using the ingredients and the process I recalled, with fond memories, seeing my mother using when I was growing up. My love for cooking, especially with fresh natural ingredients, lends itself well to my passion for developing quality sauces. Over the years, I have ne-tuned my recipe as well as developed three deliciously hot and delightful avors with a fourth currently under development. Legacy for your family.... It is my intention to build Nettie's Nah Joke Peppersauce Inc. into a thriving business which will remain in the family for generations to come. What’s speci c about it? Many hot sauces lack authentic Caribbean avors other than heat and they contain food additives. Nah Joke Hot Peppersauce contains no arti cial preservatives, colors or llers and are full of scrumptious spices and avors which enhance any cuisine because the focus is on the avor pro le of each sauce as opposed to overpowering spiciness of the peppers. I have several repeat customers who use words like “amazing”, “great avor”, “the best” when describing my sauces which have made their way as far north as Nunavut, several cities in the U.S., England and even to the Caribbean where great hotsauces abound. Many will buy more than one bottle at a time because they claim to use it on everything - soups, appetizers, sandwiches, pasta, entrees - and do not want to run out. ere has been a surge in the growth of the hotsauce industry and the low barrier to entry makes it challenging to make my products stand out. It also makes it very competitive to get into the large retail spaces. How did you overcome it?

What was the most challenging aspect of it?

Some of the ingredients I use in the production of my hotsauces are indigenous to the recipes used in Dominica, my island home which was once inhabited by French colonizers and the local Dominicans adopted some of their sauce making skills for which they are wellknown. at being said, I incorporate some of these techniques in making my sauces which serves me well in manufacturing sauces with a di erence that my customers appreciate.

My tag line is “Not just the heat… but the ava!”

What have you learned in the process?

People are very conscious of what they eat and are looking for delicious but clean food products and they do not mind paying a premium for a solid product.

What makes you excited about it?

I am working at building Nettie’s Nah Joke Hot Peppersauce Inc. into a thriving business which will remain in the family for generations to come

Where can your products be found?

My products can be found online at my ecommerce website nahjoke.com as well as the following retail stores:

Olli e Butcher Shop – 1197A Yonge St. Toronto, On Taste e 4th Sense – 4 Hachborn St. W, St. Jacobs, On Countryside Farmers Market - 55121 Jackson Line, Stra ordville, ON at being said, I also have the following goals in mind:

I also showcase and sell my hotsauces at selective popupmarkets and community events.

What are you looking forward to the most?

I am truly looking forward to seeing my hotsauces in someboutique shops both locally as well as in North America where they will be the go-to hotsauce for the connoisseurs of gourmet hotsauces as well as for new patrons looking for a quality hotsauce.

• work with the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica to source hot peppers from women-owned farms, which will also serve to create an opportunity to give back to the island where I grew up and create additional revenue sources for the owners of female farmers on the island.

• create a philanthropical annual giving circle where 10% of my pro t will go towards a scholarship fund in an agricultural program in a secondary school in the Commonwealth of Dominica

Is there a favorite or most requested product?

I am frequently asked this question and my response is that it varies. What I can say is that currently, Nah Joke Hot Peppersauce comes in 5 ounces of three amazing avors: pork roast, game and vegetarian

• REGULAR - the original recipe showcases seasoning and spices married with a medley of organically grown hot peppers which caters to the purist looking for a superior product.

• MANGO TANGO - this is for the adventurous foodie looking for an exotic experience. The goodness of the regular flavor is blended with pureed mangoes which adds a tropical experience to any cuisine.

• MERRY CRANBERRY - a seasonal favorite which complements the traditional Christmas fare of turkey, ham or pork roast, game and vegetarian dishes. The tangy cranberries and spiced heat of the peppers enhance these entrees, making for an unforgettable dining experience in this special season.