ONE of the hottest companies around has almost quadrupled its business in a year after putting on face masks and protective clothing to get it up and running.

The Dangerous Food Company is now in talks with key industry player Marks and Spencer since unveiling its fiery chilli jams at the Hamper Llangollen food festival last year.

It went on to increase stockists of the breathtaking products from just 25 shops to 110 across Wales and Cheshire.

Company founders, friends Dominic Haynes and Llyr Jones, have also been in talks with luxury foods retailers in a bid to further spread the appeal of the unique relishes they developed in their home kitchens.

The company’s unusual name comes from the fresh chillies they use – so hot that the duo had to wear protective headgear as they went to work on developing the unique recipe.

Now with 12 months of red hot trading under their belt, they plan to return to Hamper Llangollen 2015 bringing with them tastier jams than ever.

The popular event in Llangollen’s Royal Pavilion is recognised as one of the UK's top 10 food festivals.

“We started out with just one jam, the original, but now we have five, plus a sixth recipe is in the making,” said Dominic.

He and Llyr worked together at a North Wales dairy before launching The Dangerous Food Company.

Dominic, 32, said: “At first it started as a fun idea we had in a pub. Working in the food sector we already knew of chilli relishes on the market, but thought we could do better so we set about making our own at home.

“It took some time – and one or two disasters – to perfect our original recipe, but once we did, our families and friends loved it.

“We started selling a few jars as a hobby. Then following redundancies at the dairy, we both lost our jobs at the same time.

“That was when we decided to go for it and produce jams full time.”

They are allowed to call the relishes ‘jams’ because of the fruit content though Dominic said only the very brave would want to eat these jams on toast for breakfast!

 “They are hot, hot, hot and spicy. But there is also a delicious fruitiness to them. It’s a lovely combination,” he said.

The range currently includes five flavours – red chilli with a hint of lime, jalapeño with bramley apple, habanero with mango, bird’s eye with morello cherry, and best seller, ghost chilli with blueberry, which is the hottest.

The pair are in the process of developing a sixth ‘secret recipe’ which they're hoping to unveil at Hamper Llangollen 2015.

Hamper Llangollen chairman Colin Loughlin believes this year's festival is going to be one of the best ever.

n For more details about Hamper Llangollen 2015 visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com