The Spice Project
Founder: Marty Johnson
Location: Rochester, NY
Region: Western NY
Before The Spice Project, Marty was a bartender, known for keeping customers entertained with his sarcastic humor and quick wit. When the pandemic cut his hours and restaurants began closing, he started hearing the same frustration from friends and family: cooking at home was getting old, and they wanted an easy way to make their meals better.
Marty had an idea. What if a great blend of spices could do the work for you?
He started experimenting with different combinations and brought his first blends to the bar for customers to try. The response was immediate. People loved them, and those early reviews gave Marty the push to keep creating. In 2020, he left the bar behind and turned his side project into a full-time business.
What started with one blend, his best-selling Rosemary Herb, has grown into 24 hand-mixed seasonings made by The Spice Project.
For Marty, the best part is hearing from people who try his blends, come back for more, and get excited about what they can make with them. That customer feedback continues to be what keeps The Spice Project growing.
