Dr Trouble: Bringing A Taste of Southern Africa To The UK
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George Taylor
- 6th October 2020
- 7 minute read
African sauce brand, Dr Trouble – is launching in the UK, with two new artisan sauces to add to the mix.
Handmade in small batches on an isolated Zimbabwean farm, using local ingredients sourced by local rural villagers, the Oak Smoked Chilli and African Lemon Chilli sauces are made using a simple, natural recipe, which has been in the co-founder’s family for 125 years.
Made with the finest ingredients, including: fiery home-grown chilies, a blend of African Bird’s Eye, Cayenne and Serrano, the recipe also uses wild and naturally grown lemons, supplied and harvested by Zimbabwe village chiefs, and their communities.
“My great-grandfather created the original recipe 125 years ago and when I found it scrawled in the back of a book two decades ago, I knew this could be something special. Even with slight modifications to the original recipe, the sauces’ ingredients are still completely wild and natural, showcasing the very best of Africa from that year.
We create and bottle the sauce on my farm in the heart of the upper Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe, employing 30 locals at the height of production. We’re surrounded by thick bush, spectacular wildlife and several rural communities, who each possess a few lemon trees, and by purchasing under-used lemons and chilies locally, not only does it give us delicious, fresh ingredients – it benefits the communities who would otherwise struggle to survive.“
Rob Fletcher, co-founder of Dr Trouble
Salt from the Makgadikgadi Salt Flats, in Botswana, is used to bring earthy undertones. The lengthy, 100-day fermentation process gives the sauce its unique flavour, with the ingredients infusing in custom-blown glass sun flagons, which bask in the African sun.
“The amazing story behind our sauces as well as the intense production process and the quality of the ingredients which go into each bottle, make Dr Trouble sauce very special and distinctive. The ingredients we use are at the mercy of the weather and can vary slightly year to year, so we do lots of testing and tasting to keep the sauce consistent – it’s truly a living process.“
Rob Fletcher, co-founder of Dr Trouble
The African Lemon Chilli is medium heat, with a clean lemon flavour and notes of ginger, mango masala and a touch of garlic. The Oak Smoked Chilli sauce is mild, with a full-bodied oak smoke, intended for red meats and other barbeque dishes.
Dr Trouble also appeals to the ever-growing vegan and gluten free markets, as well as health-conscious consumers, looking for products with no additives or preservatives.
When you buy any bottle of Dr Trouble sauce, it benefits the Little Peppers Project, which Rob has been running for two years. The project provides school fees and essential supplies for 150 local children, which the partners hope to increase as the business expands.
As well as helping the human community, Dr Trouble supports wildlife conservation in the surrounding area, with anti-poaching patrols, education and compensating villagers whose crops have been damaged by wild animals.
“It’s very exciting to launch Dr Trouble in the UK – with British consumers becoming increasingly aware and conscious of the brands they buy, particularly around corporate social responsibility. We’re confident that the UK will love our authentic and natural recipe from the heart of the African bush.
There is so much innovation in the UK sauce category at the moment as consumers demand something more exciting on the side of their plate, as a marinade or as a dipping experience. With novelty products vying for the spot of spiciest hot sauce, we spotted a gap in the market for a chilli sauce, that is well balanced, delicious, high quality and is produced ethically, supporting a whole community in Africa.”
Albert Oberholzer, A partner in Dr, Trouble
The brand is rated a No.1 best seller on Amazon. Find out more about them here.
