It all began by chance. I was living and working in Panamá when at the airport a fellow traveler heard my southern accent and asked if I was from South Carolina. It turns out that my soon-to-be good friend and future business partner Alexis Gallardo and I shared many of the same interests. We both were educated in the South, love Charleston, South Carolina and appreciate Charleston’s world-renowned food history and heritage.

As a former world-traveling pro tennis player with a background in resort real estate sales and marketing, I am also a devout foodie and have always appreciated clean artisanal farm to table foods.  Alexis’ background is in food science manufacturing and he holds a degree from Georgia Tech. Since 1964, his family has owned and operated Proluxsa, a Panamá City based corporation that operates several food manufacturing facilities in Latin America and is one of the largest producers of distilled vinegar and gourmet sauces in both Latin America and the Caribbean. They are a vertically integrated company, and in addition to owning their own farms and farmland, they grow all their own ingredients, fruits and vegetables for their world-class sauces, marinades and food products.

Soon after our initial meeting and seeing that Latin America has all the freshest ingredients at our fingertips, Alexis and I began dreaming to "develop our all-natural, gluten-free healthy line of cooking sauces and marinades that would enhance and compliment all foods and recipes". Together we spent the next year experimenting, creating and tasting our artisanal all-natural recipes in the Panamanian fields. We perfected our favorites and 9°80° Gourmet Sauces and Marinades was born! Alexis and I are extremely proud to bring you the finest all-natural sauces and marinades to your kitchen and table. Enjoy!

 - Smith Anderson