There's a moment in every kitchen where everything comes together. You've been chopping, stirring, tasting, putting in the work, and then suddenly, the whole dish just clicks. The flavours bloom. The aroma fills the room. You look down at what you've made and think: Yeah. This is it. 

That's what 2025 felt like for us at Spicewalla.

Because here's the thing: we didn't set out to hit some big donation number or check a corporate giving box. We just kept showing up where we could, connecting, and believing that good food and strong communities go hand in hand.

And y'all. Our people, our fellow spice lovers. You showed up right alongside us 

Together, we raised a little over $56,000 for five incredible organizations doing the real work: feeding families, empowering young women, supporting LGBTQ+ youth, keeping our communities informed, and helping folks rebuild their lives.

Let that sink in. Fifty-six thousand dollars. From tins of spices. From y'all seasoning your weeknight dinners. From you gifting flavour to the folks you care about, and believing that a little love goes a long way.

This Is What Community Tastes Like

After Hurricane Helene swept through Asheville last year, we we’re humbly reminded of the true meaning of community.  

It's showing up. It's neighbors helping neighbors. It's organizations working around the clock to make sure people have a warm meal, a safe place to sleep, and accurate information when everything feels uncertain.

Three organizations became our lifeline during that time: MANNA FoodBank, Homeward Bound of WNC, and Blue Ridge Public Radio.

They didn't just show up. They stayed.

They provided hot meals when kitchens were flooded. They gave people shelter when homes were unlivable. They kept us informed when the power was out, and rumors were flying.

So when it came time to create something meaningful, we did what we do best: we cooked.

The Made with Love in Asheville Collection was born from gratitude and grit. We partnered with 10 of Asheville's most beloved food makers, from Chai Pani to Biltmore Estate, Burial Beer to Good Hot Fish, to create blends that taste like our city.

Each tin tells a story. Each blend captures a piece of what makes Asheville home. And $15 from every sale goes directly to MANNA, Homeward Bound, and Blue Ridge Public Radio.

You bought them. You gifted them. You cooked with them. You shared them with the folks you loved & they became a part of your home.

Because of you, we were able to give $11,275 to each of these three organizations. That's $33,825 total, funded entirely by you choosing to buy a 10-pack of spices that also supported the people who held us together when everything felt broken.

That's not charity. That's community in action.

Beyond Asheville: Love That Travels

But the story doesn't end in our mountain town. Because while we're deeply rooted in Asheville & Western NC, we also know that community, and the need for it, stretches way beyond these Blue Ridge peaks.

This summer, we launched a wholesale program with our retail partners that had a simple premise: when you hit certain purchase thresholds, we donate to The Trevor Project, the leading organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth. Our wholesale partners showed up big, and together we raised $3,084.78 to support young folks who desperately need to know they're not alone, that they're loved, and that they belong.

We can't solve everything with spices (trust us, we've tried), but we can support the folks doing the real work. And so we did. So did you.

Cooking Up Change Across the World

Then there's Dharavi Diary, the organization that's been part of our story from the beginning.

Dharavi Diary’s mission is to “ empower the youth, especially girls and women living on the fringes of urban & rural lower income communities through STEAM learning, storytelling and skill building to become problem solvers, innovators and leaders.”

Through the sale of our ongoing collaborative collections with Chai Pani (both our 3-pack and 6-pack featuring authentic Indian blends like Garam Masala, Tandoori Masala, and Chai Masala), we donated $19,179.16 to support their incredible work in 2025. Every time you buy one of these collections, you're not just getting world-class spices. You're investing in a girl's education. You're funding her future. You're saying: I see you, and you matter.

This one's personal for us. Meherwan's own journey, from India to Asheville, from a small town to a James Beard Award, was only possible because people believed and invested in him. And most importantly, he believed in himself. Now, through your purchases, we get to open doors for others.

That's the kind of full-circle magic that makes you believe in the power of food to change lives.

None of This Happens Without You

Here's what we need you to know: we don't write these checks on our own.

Every time you choose our spices (whether it's the Made with Love Collection, the Chai Pani Masala 6-pack, or just a single tin of smoked paprika for your weeknight roast chicken), you're making this possible. You're helping us create a world where food brings people together & community takes care of each other. 

We're just the ones lucky enough to be in the kitchen with you, stirring the pot, and watching it all come together.

What's Cooking Next

So what happens now?

We keep going. We keep showing up. We keep partnering with organizations doing work that matters. We keep creating blends that make your food taste incredible, and your heart feel full. We keep believing that cooking is connection, community is everything, and that together (always together) we can build something beautiful.

Because here's what we've learned after years of roasting, grinding, and packing spices by hand in our little Asheville factory: the best meals aren't made alone. And the best communities aren't built by individuals trying to be heroes.

They're built by all of us, showing up, putting in what we have available to give, and sharing in the abundance together.

So thank you. For cooking with us. For believing in us. For showing up with your whole heart and your whole appetite. For proving that when we come together, with a little spice and a whole lot of love, we can nourish not just our bodies, but our communities, our futures, and each other. 

Happy 2026 ❤️
Cara Manning, E-comm & Brand Manager