Joanne G. Sakulich was exposed to many different recipe ingredients and flavors growing up in the Chicago metropolitan area. This early awareness of the immense diversity of culinary experiences blossomed into a love for food, which has persisted throughout her life. After she was forced and compelled to stay home and spend more time preparing daily meals due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she began to experiment and discovered a renewed fascination with the natural benefits and flavors of different spices and herbs. In 2020, Ms. Sakulich decided to turn her passion into her livelihood, launching HS Creations, a handcrafted herb and spice blend company in Discovery Bay, California.
Thankful for her discerning palate and remarkable understanding of taste as the founder and creator of HS Creations, Ms. Sakulich is proud to offer a varied selection of more than 55 carefully balanced blends, from the American Cattleman’s Blend and Cowboy Butter to the Turkish Bahārāt Blend and the Rani Blend (Garam Masala). She wants to enable people to savor the powerful and complex flavors of gourmet cuisine that anyone can enjoy, and she is devoted to crafting flavorful experiences for her customers. To guarantee quality and freshness, all of HS Creations’ products are handmade in small batches and are sourced from certified organic and fair-trade suppliers.
At HS Creations, Ms. Sakulich works alongside her husband, Mark Sakulich, who manages bookkeeping and other priorities as the company’s chief financial officer. Mr. Sakulich also makes key contributions to the calculations and measurements necessary for accurately balancing the herb and spice blends. Ms. Sakulich handles creating, procuring, blending, packaging, distribution, social media accounts, partnering with retailers, always working to develop new products and blends, and participating in community events to promote the company brand. In recognition of her achievements, she has been honored with a feature in Marquis Who’s Who Millennium Magazine and will be included in the National Digest.
Ms. Sakulich hails from a family with legal influencers and initially leaned toward pursuing a career in law. After graduating from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, Ms. Sakulich earned an American Bar Association-approved certification in business law from the National Center for Paralegal Training. During her more than two decades in the legal field, she found her niche in negotiating and managing software and IT contracts.
Peering into the future, Ms. Sakulich is determined to bring new products to the market that she hopes to soon see on grocery store shelves. Having gained a wealth of experience in recent years, she is excited to continue building her business and living out her dreams through HS Creations. Ms. Sakulich believes that gourmet flavor should not be an expensive experience in a 5-star restaurant but should be available to everyone at home and at their own tables, wherever that might be!