How it all began
As told by our founder, Myra Sable.
It was the spring of 1970. I was pregnant with my third child and had just moved into a young, buzzing community where I met a neighbour who enjoyed cooking as much as I did. Without knowing it, Sable & Rosenfeld was percolating.
I began writing restaurant reviews for our local paper and during one of my interviews met my future partner and neighbour, Carol Rosenfeld. We started to import gourmet food products from Europe, the imported products were originally sold in the upscale family owned Creeds store in Toronto where they opened "The Good Taste Shop." A very lucky beginning.
"When the fledgling company’s second Christmas shipment missed the boat– literally – We headed into our kitchens to create foods that would fill the shelves of their own freestanding boutiques."
Newspaper advertisement, 1970
The creation of Sable & Rosenfeld’s Tipsy Olives, Tipsy Onions and Tipsy Cherries, three of the most innovative cocktail garnishes of the 1980’s.
Our first product was Sweet Honey Mustard – at least until Canadian business magnate Garfield Weston, then owner of the iconic Fortnum & Mason specialty store in London, noted that he didn’t have a Russian mustard. “The strange thing was it actually was an authentic Russian recipe, as it came from a Russian uncle of Carol’s.
"Our turning point was in 1971, when the Russian mustard was featured on Esquire magazines' Christmas gift centrefold, Neiman Marcus came calling, and the Sable & Rosenfeld brand took off."
We began producing pears in Cointreau, antipasto, apple butter, strawberry jam in port, and zucchini pickles in our home kitchens, later renting commercial kitchens and hiring everyone we knew to cook, chop, and can. We exhibited at the Fancy Food Shows, winning some major awards in 1985 that brought instant success.
Featured in New York Newspaper, 1985
Emerging of the new trend 'tomato sauce' and 'antipasto' and mayonnaise in a jar.
But it wasn’t smooth sailing from there. We then went through many growing pains, hiring co-packers—some of whom stole our recipes, some of whom went bankrupt in the middle of a production season; and figuring out how to best reach the Canadian and U.S. markets, as shipping direct was no longer working well. We decided to close all our retail outlets, and hire brokers and distributors across both countries.
Although Rosenfeld is no longer part of the company, Sable & Rosenfeld continues to grow. With more than 50 products, including mustards, sauces, bruschettas, “Tipsy” cocktail garnishes Tipsy Tapas and more! Focusing on producing products that are all-natural, non-GMO certified, and aim ultimately, for simple and elegant entertaining.
Featured in Chatelaine Magazine, 1986
Myra Sable hosts terrific parties, with three great menus from Sable & Rosenfelds' cookbook
Inspiration for Sable & Rosenfelds' creations comes at the weirdest times and places, gathering ideas from their travel, observing new chefs and tredns at their restaurants, combined with their love of cooking is where the development of new products comes from.
" We are never short of new ideas, we have been copied numerous times, but we can honestly say we have never copied a product line."
We always have new products that we are eager to launch. As long as we’re true to our mission statement of creating easy-to-use, everyday condiments, we know what to do.
50 Years of Sable & Rosenfeld: A Glance at Our Journey.
1970 - The Beginning
Opened the Good Taste Shop at Creeds Department Store in Toronto’s Yorkville neighborhood. neighbourhood.
1971 - Breaking into Bloomingdale’s
Became the first Canadian company to have products sold in Bloomingdale’s famous Food Cellar.
1973 - Expanding in Canada
Expanded to 50 gourmet products and launched in Holt Renfrew stores across Canada.
1974 - London Debut
Invited by Garfield Weston to open a Sable & Rosenfeld department at Fortnum & Mason in London.
1975 - Paris Presence
Fauchon in Paris adds Sable & Rosenfeld products to its prestigious lineup.
1977 - Focus on Manufacturing
Shifted from boutique retail to becoming a full-time manufacturer of specialty condiments.
1980 - Expanding Our Reach
Conquering food shows in New York and San Francisco, we ramped up production—renting commercial kitchens, working from home, and enlisting friends and neighbors to cook, chop, and bake.
1986 - First Cookbook Published
Bantam Books publishes Elegant Entertaining by Myra Sable.
1987 - Industry Recognition
Won top awards at the National Specialty Food Show for product line and packaging.
1988 - Growing Retail Presence
Surpassed 3,000 specialty retailers carrying Sable & Rosenfeld products across North America.
1995 - Second Cookbook Published
Myra Sable releases Favorite Recipes, published by Little Brown Canada and Firefly in the U.S.
The 2000s - Building the Network
A dedicated team of brokers and distributors was assembled to drive growth, expanding Sable & Rosenfeld’s reach and helping shape the business into what it is today.