A Greenville-based condiment business is out to spice up your life.
The Pickled Pepper People – purveyors of spicy slaw it calls ‘pikay slaw’ – currently operates out of Judson Mill’s Feed & Seed Co. Founder Kelly Desmangles is of Haitian descent, and the slaw is a traditional condiment used in Haiti. It is a family-owned business, with Desmangles’ husband, two sisters and cousin as co-owners.
“It wasn’t something I made up out of my head,” said Desmangles, who launched the business in 2023. “It was something that we we make a lot here, but most people are not familiar with it.”
“Pikay” is a play on the word “pikant” which translates to “spicy” in Haitian creole.
Pikay slaw has a wide range of uses. Desmangles said it can go on almost anything to add flavor and spice. They offer three levels of heat – mild, fire slaw and death slaw. The mild slaw is made with serrano peppers, fire with habaneros, and death with ghost peppers. The peppers are brined along with carrots and cabbage and served on top of food.
“We always tell everyone, ‘Don’t throw away that liquid, that brine is like gold,” she said. “You can marinate with it. Or if you don’t want it so hot, you just want to use a little bit of the liquid.”
The co-owners of The Pickled Pepper People support the efforts of Feed & Seed and recognize the importance in buying from local farmers. The brine begins with locally sourced peppers from Feed & Seed. Desmangles noted that a majority of pickled habaneros come from Rabbit Crest Farms in Welcome. Working with the food bank allows for sourcing from a variety of famers in the area.
The Pickled Pepper People products can be purchased at Feed & Seed, Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery, Lowes Foods and Harris Teeter.
Cultural connection
Desmangles said the quintessential Haitian dish for pikay slaw was griot – a pork dish that’s roasted then fried and served with rice, plantains and salad.
“[There’s] all types of deliciousness happening there that you just can’t get away from the pikay at that point,” she said.
