Southern California-based Proper’s Pickle has had a very busy last few years. In 2018, they earned their first of three coveted sofi™Award from the Specialty Food Association for its Spicy Pickled Spears, which won for Best New Product in the Pickle & Preserved Vegetable category.
More than 2,500 products from various companies vied for a sofi™ Award, considered the equivalent of winning an Oscar in the food industry. Selected by a national panel of 56 culinary experts from 2,600 entries across 39 categories. Each entry is carefully assessed in a blind-tasting done by professional chefs, culinary instructors, recipe developers, food writers and specialty food buyers.
In 2019, Proper’s took home two more sofi™Awards for the classic Dill Pickle Spears and their Pickled Cauliflower. While going for the 3-peat in 2020, the awards program was postponed due to the current pandemic.
Since the receiving the honors, brother’s Pejmon and Bijan have been busy in the kitchen, hand-packing their small batch made line of refrigerated, all-natural pickled vegetables. They are certified vegan and gluten-free. The products contain no preservatives, no artificial flavors, no food coloring and no sugar.
The hard work has paid off as the family company has now expanded their distribution up into Northern California and increased their reach in the Southwest region. The award winning products are now available at three different distributors around California for retailers to order.
Proper’s Pickle only uses Persian cucumbers for its classic Dill Pickles Spears and Spicy Pickle Spears, an homage to the Noori brothers’ Iranian heritage. The result? A fresher-than-fresh pickle that delivers an infinitely more satisfying crunch with each bite.
>>About Proper’s Pickle: You could say Bijan and Pejmon Noori were destined to have a pickled future. Growing up in Southern California, the two brothers would always come home to a house reeking of pungent vinegars thanks to their father, who was notorious for pickling nearly every vegetable he could get his hands on. The brothers were often enlisted to help their pickle-obsessed father. Though they both pursued different career paths, ultimately, they couldn’t help but follow in their father’s footsteps – in their own way.
Hence, Proper’s Pickle was born. In 2014, the Noori brothers decided to whip up a batch of pickles for friends, who all immediately asked for more. The one-time gift-giving whim turned into a full-blown pickle passion. Within a year, gourmet grocer Gelson’s Markets began stocking Proper’s Pickle. Today, the Nooris continue to take pride in crafting their array of pickled goods in a simple brine, all made with 100-percent fresh ingredients. Proper’s Pickle is currently sold at 80+ retail and foodservice locations throughout SoCal, including Gelson’s, Bristol Farms, and Lazy Acres.
