In this week’s Meet the Maker we chat with Max and Sonya, the owners of Chillis Gallore, a 26-year-old company from Norfolk making delicious, award-winning chilli jam, hot sauces and relishes since 1999.
Hi Max and Sonya, What did you do before Chillis Gallore?
Max is a cinematographer and still works as one, as he is freelance and can work film jobs around the chilli jam schedule. Sonya was previously working as Chief of Staff at a technology startup.
What’s the inspiration behind your brand?
Chillis Galore was founded in Norfolk in 1999 by Kathy and Richard, a couple with a passion for growing chillis and turning them into delicious, fiery jams. Over the next 26 years, they built the business and the Chillis Galore community, winning awards at shows and farmers markets for their homemade, spicy-sweet jams, jellies and hot sauces.
Today, Chillis Galore has been taken on by Max and Sonya. As a child in North Norfolk, Max grew up eating the Jamaican Peppers Jelly, as his grandmother Marita was one of their very first customers. When Marita passed away, his mum Michèle carried on the tradition, always making sure there was a jar on the table.
Chillis Galore was also the very first chilli jam Sonya ever tasted; Michèle had bought them a jar of the Jamaican Peppers Jelly for her and Sonya’s first meeting, and it instantly became one of Sonya’s favourites too. Sadly, Michèle passed away soon afterwards.
After her passing, Max and Sonya tried for a while to track down their favourite chilli jam, but the name escaped them. A few months later, while cleaning out the car ahead of Michèle’s memorial service, Max found the jar she had gifted them buried deep in the boot.
Sonya immediately jumped online to try and order some to the flat…and discovered that after 26 years, Kathy and Richard were looking for someone to carry on their legacy so they could hang up their chilli hats and enjoy retirement.
After spending much quality time in the kitchen with Kathy, learning her recipes and techniques, Max and Sonya are incredibly proud to continue the Chillis Galore story—making the same beloved spicy-sweet jams and sauces that have brought warmth, spice, and memories to families for over two decades.
What is your Design process and what are your essential tools?
We are proud to work with a wonderful team of talented creatives and designers from around the world. Max’s late mum Michèle was a North Norfolk-based artist, so we always knew it was a must to work with a local illustrator on an updated look for Chillis Galore.
Our beautiful jam and jelly labels are created by Kate Read, an Aylsham-based, award-winning children’s book author and illustrator who makes her illustrations using hand-painted and mono-printed paper collage, which she later finishes digitally.
Liubov Borysova, our ultra-talented and cool graphic designer based in Kyiv, Ukraine
Olena Subchuk, former art director at Wix.com, who is our web designer and created our beautiful website (obviously on Wix)
Our accounting and orders are managed through Zoho Books and Zoho Inventory
What have been the biggest challenges/achievements, or your favourite story so far?
The story of how we found and were able to take on the business still gives us chills every time we tell it, and makes us feel connected to Max’s late mum and grandma through our chilli jam.
How would you describe your business in 3 words?
Hot and Saucy
Favourite music / podcasts to listen to while working?
Max is a lifelong surfer and ex-surf instructor, so he’s always either watching surfing videos while he’s cooking or listening to Pinch My Salt, his favourite surf podcast which is hilarious as it simultaneously worships and roasts surf culture.
Sonya hates podcasts so she exclusively listens to music or the sounds of crickets at sunset. Lately she’s been rediscovering The Jesus and Mary Chain, a band from Glasgow that she loved in college but then completely forgot about for 15 years.
Do you have any advice for someone just starting out? Things you have learnt along the way?
We say this to each other all the time jokingly because it’s a very overused quote, but there’s truth to it – “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. Especially useful when pitching to new clients.
What do you do to relax?
After a long hard day of cooking jam, we love to put on our gloves and head down to our favourite boxing gym–shoutout Bloodline!
What’s / any exciting plans?
So many! New flavours, new labels and bottles for old favourites, and a Gold line with premium, organic ingredients. We’re expanding the team, and finally getting around to branding our delivery van, which we’re excited about. The next vanity buy is a neon chilli sign for the office.
For updates please follow Chillis Galore
Shop their full ranger here in the Chillis Galore shop on Urban Makers