Mail-order meals, baked goods, drinks and pantry treats are a great way to support independent businesses and get something tasty delivered to your door, or to send as a gift. And especially right now, when we can’t travel to regional artisan producers, the food can come to us. These American craft creations ship all over the US (and in some cases, internationally), allowing food-lovers to enjoy them while sticking close to home.
For over a decade this Portland-based ice cream company has been delighting customers with fresh and flavourful frozen treats. Known for its creative flavours, a Salt and Straw scoop can feature anything from regular ingredients like lavender and honey to limited-run combos like bone marrow and smoked cherries. The brand now has scoop shops along both coasts (including a location at Disneyland), but ice cream fans in all 50 states can order couriered pints and branded merch online.
Founded by Leavy B. Jones in the 1970s and now run by his two daughters, Jones Bar-B-Q is one of America’s great smoked barbecue houses. The recipe for the restaurant’s sauce is a closely-guarded secret, but customers can order it by the bottle from Jones’ online store. Sweet and tangy, as Kansas City barbecue should be, the sauce works wonderfully as a marinade or as a dipping sauce for almost any kind of meat, though it would be shame not to brush it on barbecued ribs.
Diaspora Co.’s founder Sana Javeri Kadri was born and raised in Mumbai and she’s made it her life’s work to bring high-quality Indian-grown spices to the United States. The company is built around honouring and respecting the farmers in India, offering home cooks spices that they can feel good about. Customers in the US and Canada can order jars of single-origin turmeric, Baraka cardamom, Kashmiri saffron and other fresh and fragrant Indian spices.
Located just a stone’s throw from the famed distillery town of Lynchburg, Uncle Nearest is named after Nathan Green, an enslaved Black man who, as legend goes, taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. The distillery launched in 2017 and its smooth golden spirits and ties to Black history have made it one of the fastest-growing spirits businesses in the United States. It's available to ship across all 50 states and a total of 148 countries.
Red Clay boasts that its Southern-style hot sauces offer flavour rather than flame, perking food up rather than just adding gratuitous heat. The products are all cold-pressed, raw, gluten-free and sustainably sourced, which has earned the brand customers across the US. Red Clay’s current line-up includes the original bourbon barrel-aged flavour with mild Fresno chillies, as well as verde, Carolina and habanero varieties. Plus, to mix things up, a spicy hot honey.
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Alabama’s Stone Hollow Farmstead makes a lot of products, ranging from floral jellies and drinking vinegars to candles and skincare products, but its most compelling offering is probably its robust line of bloody Mary mixes. With flavours including a “saucy” horseradish-laden mixture, a beetroot-infused “quirky” Mary and an ultra-hot “scary” concoction, these mixes are guaranteed to elevate everyone’s favourite brunch cocktail.
Started by sisters Vanessa and Kim Pham, Omsom’s products give home cooks a head-start while cooking delicious Asian-inspired dishes. The company specialises in spice packets formulated with the help of NYC restaurateurs. Home cooks use the packets with their own fresh ingredients to recreate restaurant-quality Thai larb, Korean bulgogi, Vietnamese lemongrass BBQ and other usually complex meals. Customers can pick and choose one type of spice mix, or buy Southeast Asian or East Asian combo packs.
The team at Olympia Provisions takes cured meat extremely seriously, which is obvious in the quality of their hand-crafted salami and other meaty treats. The online shop sells individual cured sausages, as well as sampler packs, pâté, pickles, cheese and other items to help customers build their own grazing boards. Olympia even makes meat sticks specifically formulated for dogs – there's truly something for everyone. They also have meat-safe shipping figured out and can courier to all 50 states.
Aunt Sally’s has existed in one form or another since the early 1900s, building its brand on authentic Southern-style pralines. These traditional pecan candies are all hand-poured and come in Original, Creamy and Chewy varieties. Aunt Sally’s also makes a line of candied pecans and offers praline fanatics the option of joining its Praline of the Month Club. Best of all, the company ships not only nationwide, but will send its pralines anywhere in the world (for the best quality on arrival, Creamy pralines are recommended for international orders).
A great tortilla is the key to any successful taco and Caramelo Tortillas does indeed make a truly great tortilla. The company’s Sonora-style flour tortillas are all GMO-free and are made with either pork, duck or avocado fat for extra flavour and richness. The tortillas come with a relatively short expiration date but they freeze beautifully, which is a huge selling point for customers making bulk orders from out of state.
Recipe writers often instruct cooks to use “good” olive oil when cooking or making dressings, and American olive oil doesn’t get much better than Brightland. Founded by Aishwarya Iyer, the golden olive oil is made naturally with Californian olives. The two signature varieties Awake and Alive are designed for different cooking uses, with basil, chilli, lemon and garlic flavours available for more adventurous cooks.
Founded by De J. Lozada, Soul Popped is a line of popcorn inspired by traditional soul food meals. Soul Popped’s flavours are fun and distinctively Southern – there's Banana Pudding, Big Momma’s Fried Chicken, and Heavenly Macaroni and Cheese. Customers can also create their own flavours by combining add-in powders like cayenne pepper, jalapeño, peanut butter and vinegar.
Di Bruno Bros. is a Philadelphia institution, acting as a one-stop shop for all kinds of European-style cheeses, cured meats and other speciality food items. Both the physical and online mail-order shops sell a wide selection of American and imported brands, as well as Di Bruno Bro.’s signature DB products. There’s a lot to be tempted by, but the DB cheese spreads, in flavours like Port Wine with Cheddar and Smoked Gouda with Beer Cheese, are a spectacular bet.
Dope Coffee’s mandate is to elevate Black voices through a premium coffee brand inspired by Black culture. With beans from Guatemala, Tanzania and Ethiopia, the coffee comes from some of the best growing regions in the world, but without the pretension typical of fancy coffee roasters. Dope also makes a line of coffee-based body care products specifically formulated for Black hair and skin.
Rare Bird Preserves is the creation of Elizabeth Madden, who has a great knack for putting together different flavour combinations. The preserves come in flavours like fig with Earl Grey and blueberry with gin. The shop also has a line of tempting small-batch curds, made with Meyer lemon, passion fruit and blackberries. Since jam needs to be spread on something, Rare Bird also sells pantry items including bagged scone mixes.
In an effort to help cocktail-lovers make bar-quality drinks at home, Leisuremann’s developed a range of powdered mixes that can be transformed into brilliant beverages with the addition of water and a specified spirit. Perfect for camping or a lazy happy hour, the drink packets and jars come in varieties like Margarita, Cosmopolitan and Bee’s Knees.
Founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife team Paul and Tasia Ford, Big Red’s produces a varied line of condiments for people who like to add some serious heat to their food. The company’s strength is in its interesting flavour combinations, with varieties like Blackberry Rum, Green Chilli Avocado and Maple Bacon Jalapeño. Hot heads can also order super-spicy snacks like Big Red’s smoked almonds with ghost pepper and Cheddar.
Golde’s products promote beauty from both the inside and the outside of the body. While the company also has an external skincare line, its signature product is latte mixes, made with ingredients like cacao, turmeric and matcha. The lattes come in powder form and can be mixed into water, coffee or a smoothie for a nutritional (and flavourful) boost.
A chocolate-lover’s go-to since 1991, Seattle Chocolate specialises in bars and truffles filled with ultra-creamy centres, in flavours like Cake Batter, S’mores, Espresso and Trail Mix, all with beautifully-designed wrappers and packaging. The company has a second label called jcoco that makes premium chocolate bars and includes a charity component, working to benefit local food banks in the Seattle area.
One of the most celebrated meat companies in America, Broadbent’s specialises in old-fashioned cured pork. While the company does make delicious bacon and sausages, its signature product is its award-winning country ham. The whole slow-aged hams can be ordered either cooked and ready to slice or uncooked. Steaks, biscuit slices and deli slices are also available. Since it’s dealing with perishable products, Broadbent’s takes its shipping seriously and can safely deliver to all 50 states.
Finding fresh, high-quality and responsibly-sourced African ingredients can be difficult in some parts of the States, which is why Iya Foods’ products are a godsend for anyone looking to whip up a no-fuss pot of jollof rice or a tray of piri-piri chicken. Iya Foods also sells cassava, plantain and other types of flours and baking mixes, as well as plant-based whole food powders and dried hibiscus flower products.
Regarded by many as the best Rueben in America, Zingerman’s flagship sandwich is Ann Arbor’s must-try dish. For the rest of the country, Zingerman’s ships all of the sandwich ingredients, from the rye bread to the garlicky pickles as a kit, portioned for either three to four people or six to eight. The kit is a bit pricey, but it includes dessert and the online shop is full of other gourmet goodies to make the postage costs worthwhile.
Hot honey is having a bit of a moment in North America right now, but most of that craze can be traced back to Mike’s, which launched in Brooklyn a decade ago. Originally created to be drizzled over pizza, the sticky chilli-infused honey offers a perfect balance of sweetness and spiciness. The company ships internationally and offers its Original Mike’s hot honey as well as an extra-spicy version in squeeze bottles and larger re-fill jugs.
Newport Sea Salt Co.’s “reef-to-table” salt is hand-harvested by the bucket from the salty waters surrounding Rhode Island. The company specialises in finishing salts that can be used to add an extra bit of seasoning to meat or vegetables, to top baked goods or to use for cocktails. In addition to an all-purpose white salt, Newport sells artisan salts flavoured with rosemary and thyme, hot peppers, Italian seasoning and a savoury butcher’s blend.
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Billed as the “official wing sauce of Washington, D.C.”, Capital City Mambo Sauce isn’t so much a hot sauce as it is a tangy condiment reminiscent of sweet and sour sauce. With flavours of paprika, cayenne, vinegar, ketchup and soy sauce, it's obviously ideal with chicken wings, but can also be used on hot dogs, ribs, pizza, skewers and anywhere else you would use ketchup or barbecue sauce. For those who do want some extra zip, there's a “sweet hot” version available.
JoJo Tea is helmed by Michael Ortiz, an award-winning tea master who’s made it his mission to bring proper tea culture to America. JoJo specialises in carefully chosen high-quality imported teas, including oxidised, unoxidised, herbal and lesser-known puerh teas. Most of the tea is sold as loose leaves, but some of the greatest hits are also available in convenient sachets.
Zach and Zoë’s raw honey products were born when the founders’ son Zach was diagnosed with various allergies that were alleviated when he started eating raw honey. The farm’s honey products are marketed with health in mind, but they’re also just plain delicious, thanks to flavour infusions like raspberry, matcha and lemon. The honey is all raw (that is, unpasteurised), allowing for enhanced nutritional benefits.
If you're after some fancy mustard, Seattle’s Mustard and Co. is one of the best to make it. Run by three mustard-loving food professionals, Mustard and Co.’s products go well beyond your typical hot dog condiments. There are more than a dozen different flavours ranging from classics like Golden Dijon and Sweet Hot mustard to more oddball options like Black Truffle and Red Miso. To round things out, the company also has a selection of marinades and vinaigrettes.
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While it’s not too hard to find great barbecue sauce online, Memphis’ Central BBQ takes things a step further by shipping out fully-cooked portions of smoked meat. Barbecue-lovers from across the country can order ribs or pulled pork, which are shipped frozen and should be partially thawed (but still safely cold) by the time they arrive. Naturally, bottles of sauce are also available for online purchase.
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Levain’s cookies don’t come cheaply, but their formidable size and sheer heftiness makes the price to order a pack of four (or more) more than worthwhile. The bakery has been a New York staple since it opened its first location in 1995, but now cookie-lovers across the country have developed a taste for its signature chocolate chip walnut cookies. You’ll have to break one of these cookies in half to truly understand just how packed with chips and nuts these cookies actually are.