Love a good small biz origin story? Well, here’s one that gave us the warm fuzzies and made our taste buds tingle! With four weeks to go until the Sydney/Eora Market, we caught up with Cameron from Condimental, the Sydney man saving boring sandwiches, one sauce at a time! Read on to learn how this small business started and find out what to expect at their stall this Summer… SPOILER! It’s going to be DELICIOUS!

Condimental joins The Finders Keepers this 9-11 December at the Cutaway, Barangaroo – Tickets are on sale HERE.

Can you tell us a little bit about your business and why you started it?

I remember the exact moment when I decided to start Condimental: It was when our chef Timmy gave me a taste of his fermented red chilli paste. It was sour, fragrant, complex… and more delicious than anything you could find in a store! I asked Timmy if he could put some in a jar for me to purchase and take home. 

This got me thinking about all the other amazing chefs and makers I’d met over the years who made condiments from high-quality, local produce but usually only sold them directly through their cafes and restaurants. 

This was during the early days of websites like DRNKS, and it had never been easier to start a small online store, so I figured I’d make up subscription boxes and hope there were other people out there who liked the same stuff I did. That was in 2018… Soon enough, some lovely customers started rolling in, and it’s been going ever since! 

What’s the story behind your business name?

I love a good play on words… I knew that Condiments could be more delicious than most of the crap you find in stores, plus they provide a beautiful way of reducing food waste through preserving good quality seasonal fruit and veg when it’s at its peak. 

Condiments are a way to celebrate our individual culinary preferences: We all know somebody at the table who loves REALLY spicy things or might prefer waaaay more sour pickles on their lunch than their partner. Keeping a quality range of condiments on hand allows us to share and enjoy the food we love to eat without compromising. We’ve put a lot of thought into this… hence the -MENTAL part! 

How has your business evolved over the past year?

A lot more real-life events and online shop has chilled out a fair bit. Carriageworks Markets getting busier every week, and we’re opening our first retail shop at Central Station this year! It’s going to be called Picnic Central. 

What are your top/fave three gift ideas for the holiday season?

a. The Seasonal Subscription – A mixed five-pack of Condiments delivered to their doorstep every quarter. 

b. Pineapple Chutney – Our signature chutney, a bullseye hit with Christmas Ham, Turkey or on a cheese board. 

c. Shrubs – These tart and fruity ‘cordials’ are my drink of the Summer. They have a long shelf life and are made with high-quality Australian vinegar, so it’s good for your guts. Simply adding a shot to soda water or a cocktail turns it into the most refreshing and delicious drink!

What do you love about Sydney, and who are you looking forward to visiting at the markets?

I love the outdoors and the temperate weather in Sydney. Ocean swims and balmy nights. I’m looking forward to visiting friends I met earlier this year and making some new ones! 

What can we expect from your stall at this event?

I’m going to be bringing along a massive range of Condiments in jars and bottles to suit every freaky taste, plenty of gift boxes and special offers just for the lovely folks at Finders Keepers markets… as well as enough toasties to feed an army! Last time we did an event, we sold out of our toasties three times over, so I’m making sure we bring enough to make everyone happy. We’ll also be whizzing up some delicious Shrub Sodas on ice to refresh folks on their big day out.

Connect with Condimental:
www.condimental.com.au
instagram.com/condiment.al