Who are we ?
Our history
Our story is that of a Mediterranean family with a passion for spices.
It all began with the adventure of Antoine ESPI, a saffron grower in Spain. Fascinated by this “red gold”, Antoine moved to Algiers in 1876 to import and market his saffron throughout North Africa. He launched his brand by adding a G to his surname. Saffron was joined by other spices such as cloves, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and chilli.
At the turn of the century, in 1899, his son Fréderic came up with a new blend, which he named Spigol, a combination of 3% saffron and noble spices to enhance the flavour and colour of paella. This culinary aid, the first to see the light of day, comes in “spigolette” pods or metal tins. It’s “the secret of good cooking”! Thanks to Spigol®, the company enjoyed immediate and dazzling success, which quickly spread beyond the borders of Algeria. In the space of 4 years, the number of tins of Spigol® sold increased 5-fold.
In 1962, the family moved to Marseille to take advantage of its open port. Their factory was located between Saint-Charles station and the Old Port. In 1991, the company moved to larger, more modern premises in Gémenos, at the foot of the Sainte Baume massif. Since 1876, 5 generations have succeeded one another at the head of the family business, bringing the flavours of the world to every kitchen. The teams carry on the family tradition and keep alive the founder’s original passion. The story goes on…
Our purpose
Across the Mediterranean, spices infuse memories and share stories of taste, family, and adventure… So many emotions that come to life in our dishes and meals.
They bring us together on a daily basis and inspire chefs from all horizons. The Espig family is renowned for having invented Spigol®, a unique blend of spices, unforgettable to all who have tasted it. For 150 years, faithful to its origins and to the passionate producers around the world who grow its spices, Espig has pursued its quest for flavour and quality, to pass on to future generations the emotions and stories of cooking.
Espig, the flavour of our stories.
Our values
Loyalty to origins
We know where we come from. That’s our strength. Since Antoine Espig, our name has become synonymous with quality spices because we are attached to our roots, our culture, our know-how… and we share them through our products.
Uncompromising on quality
For generations, we’ve been forging links with reputable producers who reserve for us the very best of their harvests. Our spices from all over the world are rigorously selected and analysed to offer you unrivalled authenticity, purity and flavour.
The sincerity of commitments
In our human-scale company, our word is our bond. Whether they are addressed to our colleagues, partners, customers or consumers, it will be kept. This is the foundation of our ethics, which govern our human and commercial relations and our CSR.