Morton & Bassett's Spicy Story

What's the secret to making exceptional foods? Using exceptional ingredients! Morton Gothelf, the founder of Morton & Bassett Spices, had always been a great cook and always seemed to be entertaining friends. He was passionate about finding just the right ingredients to create the perfect combination of flavors. In searching for superior ingredients, he found that the best quality spices were difficult to obtain in a typical grocery or gourmet store.

Morton began to find sources for the best spices and then started Morton & Bassett Spices in 1986, hoping to fill this niche. Morton & Bassett sought out the best spices in the world, then packaged them in clear glass bottles to show off the quality. While the large spice companies were selling traditional Turkish Bay Leaves, Morton & Bassett carried big, bright California Bay Leaves. And M&B bought only first rate Greek oregano instead of its less flavorful Mexican counterpart, and Jamaican allspice rather than less-costly Central American allspice. Importantly, by running a small operation without big marketing expenses, M&B was able to sell these top quality spices at about the same price as the products from the big spice companies.

The combination of great ingredients, good value and clear bottles that showcased the product was a hit. Within a few days of selling to his first retail store, Morton was asked to restock and to begin stocking 11 other locations four times a week. "After I hung up the phone, I said, 'I think we have a business,'" recalls Morton.

Since 1986 the business has grown quickly thanks to the growing numbers of loyal Morton & Bassett customers. Once a good cook tries Morton & Bassett they inevitably become loyal fans. Today there are over 70 world class spices in the product line and more flavors are in the works... so keep on the lookout for new items.

Your friends at Morton & Bassett