Fula Flavour Sauces: A Taste of the Fulani Tribe of West Africa

Fula Flavour, a delicious vegan sauce range we’ve recently added to TVK Supermarket, was created and founded by Hawa after she moved from Guinea in West Africa to the UK over 16 years ago! Faced with the challenge of adapting to a new culture and environment, Hawa found one of the biggest struggles for her was adjusting to the change in food.

Hawa was raised on hot and spicy foods, and was dismayed to discover when she first moved that even the hottest sauces she found barely scratched the surface of what she was used to! She realised quickly that the people in her new home were not used to spicy foods, and so the market had adapted to suit their milder palate.

Having moved to South London, Hawa set out to find that spicy flavor she was craving, and so she started exploring local markets. She searched for familiar ingredients that that she knew from home. According to Hawa, “the markets of Peckham and Brixton saved me a great deal! Finding Scotch bonnet chilies was a winner – it meant I could make any hot and spicy dish I wanted.”

Having found the perfect ingredients, Hawa started making her sauces, and quickly found everyone around her loved them! Her hot sauces were a hit at parties and gatherings, and soon enough friends were asking her how they could get more. And so the idea for Fula Flavour sauces was born!

The very first Fula Flavour sauce to hit the market was Hawa’s “Djembe” sauce, which was later renamed and rebranded as the current Fula Flavour Hot Sauce. This sauce was initially much hotter than it is now, but after market research Hawa found she had to tone the heat down – today’s version has won the Great Taste 2-Star Award!

According to Hawa, honouring her culture in the production of Fula Flavour sauces is very important to her. “The Fula Flavour recipes originate from the Fulani tribe of Guinea,” Hawa says. “I needed to ensure that they have the best flavours to maintain the reputation of that culture and heritage.” Fula Flavour sauces also use only the freshest ingredients to maintain high nutrient levels – the sauces contain no preservatives, no artificial colours and no artificial flavours!

Hawa explains that Scotch bonnet chilies are a common and everyday ingredient in West African cuisine, which is why she loves using them so much in her sauces. Hawa grew up in Mamou, Guinea, and explains how the city is renowned for its cultivation of this hot chilli pepper, so much so that they’ve become an integral part of local culture.

As a start-up business, Hawa found building the brand and getting the business going to be a challenge – “getting a major listing almost seems impossible,” she says. “As a producer you are kind of expected to prove yourself and your products before anyone opens the door for you.” Despite this Fula Flavour has persevered, going through a major rebrand to meet the requirements of the market! Just in 2018 Hawa won the runner-up prize for the Hallam Enterprise Awards, and was a Finalist in 2019 for the Launchpad Awards “Inspiring Achiever of the Year”.

A normal summer at Fula Flavour sees Hawa busy with food events and festivals, speaking with customers and getting loads of feedback on branding, packaging and of course, taste. Unfortunately the pandemic has prevented that this year, and Hawa has had to put new product developments on hold until things pick back up again – nevertheless Hawa is hopeful that she can start working on these exciting new flavors again in 2021. In the meantime we’re absolutely thrilled to be stocking her Fiery Tomato Sauce, Hot Chilli Sauce and Spicy Lemon & Herb Sauce at TheVeganKind Supermarket! Shop Fula Flavour now.

You can find out more about Hawa and her delicious Fula Flavour Sauces at @fula_flavour on Instagram.