Not your everyday sauce
"About 25 years ago, I tasted the sauce for the first time with friends and sometimes made it for my own use at home. Now M's Sauces are available in 16 stores across Namibia and two in South Africa," says Marilize Brown (52), the woman behind M's Sauces.Marilize was laid off at the end of 2021 and she struggled to find work in Swakopmund.
"Moving was not an option because I take care of my mother; so I started to make the sauces. I first made the sauce for household use and friends since I tasted it for the first time so long ago. Everyone always liked it a lot and I decided to make it and market it, just to see if I can make money out of it.”
M's Sauces are made with feta cheese, fresh garlic, olive oil and herbs.
"I adapted the recipe with less oil and added other herbs to make the sauce more affordable for the local market. Feta cheese and olive oil are very expensive products."
The sauce is available in three flavours: garlic, chilli and lemon and herb, and Marilize is currently working on a new biltong sauce without garlic.
"There are people who are allergic to garlic or just don't like it; so with the fourth sauce I have two with and two without garlic."
The sauces are delicious with a freshly grilled steak as they are made from feta cheese - especially the garlic and chilli sauce.
"My sauces are also very tasty with boerewors, mutton, boiled potatoes, pasta, bread, roasted vegetables, chicken, fish and pork.
"I would suggest the biltong sauce for a cheese plate with crackers or freshly baked bread and roasted vegetables, while the lemon and herb is delicious with fish or chicken.
"But each person has his or her own taste and can decide what they like. Test and try what works best for you. The sauce is unique and is something new to take with you when you go camping, have a picnic or just have a cheese and wine night with your friends."
Marelize works halfday and then she starts making the sauces in her kitchen. Before starting work, she made other sauces, as well as two different jams and bottled salads.
"Now that I work part-time, I don't have the time to get to everything. My dream is to have a small factory one day where I can also employ a few women on a permanent basis."
Marelize makes and bottles the sauces herself and her mother, Marie Prinsloo, affixes the labels.
M's Sauces is currently available in Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Outjo, Windhoek, Oranjemund and Maltahöhe. The sauces are also available for sale in Pretoria and the Cape in South Africa.
"The transport costs make it impossible to make the sauces here and send to South Africa. So I approached family and close friends to make M's Sauces according to my recipe and distribute them under my brand. I currently have an agent in Pretoria and one in the Cape. South Africa still has loads of potential because there are many more feet than in Namibia, but you also need to find reliable people to make the sauces according to my standards.
"There is interest from someone in Johannesburg who will be a big market for the sauces; so I'm excited to get that ball rolling."
M's Sauces are all keto and banting friendly.
"Don't wait, just do it and see what happens. This is my advice to people who have a unique product and are in doubt. Sometimes you doubt yourself too much and are afraid to risk something, but you won't know if you don't try." – [email protected]