When is small batch no longer small batch ?

What Does “Small Batch” Really Mean?

The other day, while I was peeling some lovely beetroots I’d picked up from the markets that morning (the crisp change in temperature has brought some rather delightful root vegetables — firm, earthy, and sweet, perfect for our beetroot relish), I started thinking…

I love peeling veg. Repetitive, frantic, and a bit frenzied — but familiar. It’s the perfect task to let my mind wander. And somewhere in my peeling trance, I started to ponder the term small batch.

Small Batch from the Beginning

From the very start, small batch was one of my guiding principles — to create and cook handmade condiments, preserves, and sauces by hand, in a pot, in genuinely small quantities.

Now that the business has grown, I’ve brought in a bit of machine help to get through the prep work. Years in the trade have started to take their toll on the old money makers 😅.

My Robot Coupe (food processor) does most of the hard graft — dicing, slicing, and grating. My Thermomix and stick blender make sure sauces turn out silky smooth. Without these tools, my condiments would be very different — not for the better, I must say — and considerably more expensive. As they say, time is money.

Cooking in Batches

Even with that help, I still cook everything in my trusty 50L stainless steel pots. They’re big — they take up four burners each — but they still have their limits.

You can’t just fill them to the top and expect the product to turn out the same (trust me, I tried). After plenty of trial and error, I found the sweet spot: around 15kg of ingredients per batch, sometimes less for jams and marmalades (2–3kg).

That amount is just right to get the texture, flavour, and consistency I set out to achieve all those years ago.

So, Am I Still “Small Batch”?

When I make a single batch of relish or jam, I end up with anywhere from 20–100 jars. Surely that still counts as small batch, right?

But then I wonder — am I small batch? Medium batch? Should I even mention batch size on the label?

After finishing peeling my beets (and scrubbing my hands twice to tackle the purple stains), I grabbed a coffee and did a little research.

The answers were… vague, to say the least. Small batch can mean anything from a few kilos to twenty times that. Even some big supermarket condiment brands call themselves small batch — surely that can’t be right!

What “Small Batch” Means to Me

So maybe small batch really is in the eye of the beholder.

For me, as long as you know the person making the product is involved — tasting, stirring, adjusting, and making sure it turns out just right — then you’re getting something special.

Like I always used to say in kitchens:

“If you wouldn’t be happy serving it to your mum, you shouldn’t serve it at all.”

That’s why I love making everything in small batches — so I can get the flavour, texture, and consistency just rightevery single time.

Kitchen Update: July 2025

Since writing this, I’ve taken things a step further and scaled production back even more. I’ve swapped my big 50L pots for smaller pans around 20L, so each batch now yields fewer jars — but I get even tighter control over flavour and texture, which means more deeeelish products. HUZZAH! 🙌

Pickles are crunchier, sauces are thicker, jams set quicker, and chutneys finish sooner. In the world of condiments, the less time it takes to cook, the bigger and bolder the flavour.

That, I think, is what sets small batch cooking apart from the mass-produced.

This slower, more thoughtful way of cooking means I can experiment with seasonal ingredients and stay right there, hands-on, for every single batch. It feels like I’ve come full circle — back to why I started this in the first place: to make something super tasty, by hand, with love.

Let’s Chat: What Do You Think “Small Batch” Should Mean?

Should small batch be a bit more regulated?
Do you have a number of jars you’d consider small batch?
Or should we start using terms like micro-batch or super-duper-small-batch?

Maybe I’m just spouting nonsense — been in the kitchen too long with my thoughts, overthinking and peeling beets on my own 😂.

And one last thing: if you’re shopping at a local farmers market, make sure to ask that the person selling the products either made them or knows the maker — and that they’re not just a salesperson with a factory tucked away behind them.

Have a lovely week,
Much love,
Dom

🫶