Call it counter-intuitive branding, but filthy foods is anything but
By Katelin Stecz
Like most people, British native Daniel Singer appreciates a good cocktail. But unlike most people, Singer won’t settle for the sad salad bar olives and deflated maraschino cherries that often accompany your favorite drinks. In 2006, sick of seeing dirty martinis and Old Fashioneds ruined by subpar orange twists and woefully stuffed olives, Singer set out on a journey to create a line of premium drink garnishes.
“In the beginning, I was going to bars and restaurants, and
I could see this incredible renaissance happening,” Singer says. “People were moving toward fresh ingredients behind the bar – fresh herbs, fresh juices – but the olives and cherries bartenders were using for garnishes were just terrible. So, I had this vision to make the drinks that people love even better.”
Singer started his quest by spending two years traveling across the Mediterranean in search of the perfect olive. After trying more than 230 varieties of olives and rediscovering lost cultivation techniques, he returned to Miami with four barrels of naturally cured olives from Greece. From there, Singer spent the next few years operating his company, Filthy Foods, out of the back of his wife’s minivan and selling his unique olives from bar to bar.
From its modest beginnings of two employees – Singer and his brother Marc – and its à la Bill Gates at-home start, Filthy Foods has grown to over 50 employees and now has its own production facility in Miami while sourcing its products from overseas. The company brought in more than $20 million in revenue last year and plans to expand further. This all circles back to Singer’s ultimate philosophy, that you have to go all in and get your hands “filthy” if you want to enjoy life; an echo back to his childhood when he and his brother would return to their family’s London home from playing in the rain, covered in mud and grinning from ear to ear.
Currently, Filthy Foods has partnerships with international companies like Delta Airlines, Carnival Cruises, Marriott International, and Virgin Voyages, as well as some premiere Miami bars like Cafe La Trova and Sweet Liberty. Despite its growth and increasing popularity, Filthy Foods remains true to its roots, focusing on quality products that elevate the cocktail enjoyment.
“Miami is a huge positive character in the story of Filthy,” Singer says. “Luckily, it’s a hospitality driven city with wonderful chefs and great bartenders that want to provide an experience. Filthy Foods really fits that because we create garnishes and mixes for people that find love in the details.”
What makes the company’s garnishes different are both the quality of the ingredients and how they are processed. Olives, for example, are usually cured in a four-day process using chemicals that strip the fruit of its natural flavors. To amplify the olive taste, oil and salt are then added back to the cured olives. The Greek olives that Filthy Foods uses are, by contrast, cured for four months only in salt and water, retaining much of their original essence. The company also follows a similar approach with its Amarena cherries, which are handpicked and slow-cooked in copper pots in Italy to maximize their flavor.
“I love the black cherries,” says Naren Young, creative director at the acclaimed Miami bar Sweet Liberty. “Those in a Manhattan are a total game changer. They add a bit of luxury to the drink, that little piece de resistance. And that really makes the drink something beautiful.”
Charles Steadman, director of food and beverage experience and strategic partnerships at Virgin Voyages, echoes Young’s remarks. “I think we’ve all had that kind of nasty-looking lime or cherry in our drinks, and it’s like, ‘Ugh.’ But with Filthy Foods, each garnish, whether it’s the olives or the cherries, is picture perfect.”
