Local sibling trio launch award-winning vegan mayonnaise range BeSaucy
he team behind Brighton’s BeFries return with bespoke sauces and big flavours
Today sees siblings Dashal, Chan and Ezda Beevers launch vegan condiments company BeSaucy in select UK stores and online. The initial range comprises three flavours of creamy, plant-based mayonnaise – garlic, basil and black truffle – made from high-quality, natural ingredients.
The trio are best known for co-founding popular Belgian chip shop BeFries in West Street, Brighton. Inspired by their childhoods growing up in Amsterdam, BeFries served up double-cooked chips and a varied selection of homemade sauces for four successful years. Beloved by locals and tourists alike, the venue won a total of sixteen awards, including repeat runner up in the Observer Food Monthly Awards ‘Cheap Eats’ category in 2018 and 2019.
Sadly, BeFries closed last year due to the incredible pressures placed on the high street and restaurant industry. However, the demand for the family’s sauces has continued, as has their desire to create plant-based products that make it easy for consumers to develop more sustainable eating habits.
Following years developing and fine-tuning recipes to perfect the base and flavour combinations of their inhouse sauces, BeSaucy’s head of product development, Chan Beevers, spent lockdown ensuring their mayonnaises could be scaled up for larger production. Chan is former head pastry chef at Sushisamba, Duck and Waffle and Zuma, and is currently head cook at BHT Sussex, Phase One Project.
Each sauce is created from a base of aquafaba otherwise destined for waste, organic soya milk and cold-pressed rapeseed oil produced by a family-run farm in the Cotswolds. The vegan basil was BeFries’ best-selling flavour and won two stars at the 2018 Great Taste Awards, their highest awarded mayonnaise that year.
Head of finance and marketing at BeSaucy, Dashal Beevers, comments: “The pandemic has changed many people’s eating habits, with 18% of Brits opting for more vegetarian and vegan food since March last year. At BeSaucy we believe in offering tasty alternatives that benefit the environment and that everyone can enjoy. Funnily enough, most people who try our sauces don’t even realise they’re vegan!
“With BeSaucy, we want to show that mayonnaise can be used as an ingredient, as well as a condiment. Chan developed lots of recipes for customers to try at home, using our diverse range of flavours to add extra depth to meals. We also have many more combinations to launch when the time is right,” adds Dashal.
Ezda Beevers, who leads on BeSaucy’s sales and customer relations, says: “I came to Brighton in 1994 for university and my brothers were close behind! We fell in love with the city – its spirit, its pride, its creativity and the kindness everyone shows here on a daily basis. With BeFries we wanted to pay that kindness forward: we always took the time to connect with and help our community, which drove our success and led to some brilliant opportunities.
Losing BeFries was obviously a huge disappointment. However, as the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown, this provided an opportunity for us to adapt and develop our business. With BeSaucy, we have created something positive from our perceived failure. It’s also strengthened our relationships, bringing us even closer together as a family. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone other than my two brothers.”
BeSaucy mayonnaise will be available to buy in independent shops across Sussex including HISBE, Infinity Foods and Harriet’s of Hove (RRP £3.95 to £4.45 for a 180g jar) and online at www.besaucy.co.uk from 5 July 2021. (Online customers have a minimum order of three jars – £11.85.)