I’m Dave, the face behind Achilles Chillies, and to be honest, I’ve been obsessed with chillies for as long as I can remember. I eat chillies pretty much every day and love seeing just how much heat I can handle. Over the years, I’ve thrown myself into more chilli-eating competitions than I can count — it was all fun and games until my body finally went, “Nope, that’s enough competition!”

Having travelled all over the world tasting incredible food, it was Thailand that really inspired me — they’ve got this perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy that just makes everything sing. I wanted to bring that same balance and excitement into my own range.

That’s when my real passion for making my own condiments began. I started making a chilli pickle for myself, and one day (after buying a kilo of scotch bonnet!) a mate suggested I try a chilli jam. So I did and that’s literally how Achilles Chillies was born.

Now I make a range of vegan chilli jams, pickles, and infused oils, from mild and zingy all the way up to blow-your-head-off hot. Everything’s handmade by me, with my own recipes, in small batches, no artificial rubbish or filler — just honest ingredients and full-on flavour. Each product uses a single type of chilli so you can really taste its unique character.

I wanted Achilles Chillies to be for everyone — all natural, all vegan, allergen friendly and all about having fun with flavour.