News

Life of Spice’s debut showing at NY NOW brought makers Danae McLaughlin and Sandra Hovancik top honors with their line of greeting cards. Winning Best New Product, the owners of the new company were met with a round of applause by judges and photographers at the August trade show, which recently completed its week at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

Life of Spice boasts an array of greeting cards each with colorful artwork of exotic travel destinations gracing the cover and an original spice blend and corresponding recipe on the inside. The company is the brainchild of executive chef, Danae McLaughlin, who created all the original recipes and spices, and artist, Sandra Hovancik, who created the artwork based on the two’s travels that span the globe. The product line not only includes cards, but original spices, seasoning salts and artwork. These can be found wholesale at Lifeofspiceshop.Faire.com and retail on Etsy@Lifeofspiceshop.

In addition, the two were also awarded Finalist in the Best Emerging Brand category for their unique vision and product originality. The NY Now awards provide an important opportunity for brands to be recognized for innovation and design. With two shows a year the event allows eclectic products to shine, from home décor, to fashion and accessories and unique gift items. McLaughlin and Hovancik’s Life of Spice product line was amongst hundreds of exhibitors at the NY NOW show. Their efforts to create a product that is not “just a card, but a culinary adventure” is truly a gift that keeps on giving as buyers have offered resounding reviews on their recipes, posting compliments about the corresponding card entrees, and how the card has been displayed as an artwork centerpiece in their homes.

“We were so surprised to learn we were finalists as “Best New Product” AND “Best Emerging Brand,” McLaughlin explained. “But when they named us the winner with this beautiful trophy we were speechless! We are just a small, women-owned business and to be recognized by such an amazing organization really made us feel proud of what we created.”

“With so much great talent surrounding us at the show, being recognized as one of the best new products was a very humbling experience. Developing Life of Spice has been quite an adventure in itself and this crowning achievement has meant ‘the world’ to us,” Hovancik added.

McLaughlin and Hovancik plan to bring Life of Spice to the SF Now show April 27-28, 2023 to showcase their product line for the west coast wholesale community.