Mike’s Organic Curry Love brings organic, biodynamic certification to Thai foodMike’s Organic Curry Love brings organic, biodynamic certification to Thai food

For Mike Buechi, founder of Mike’s Organic Curry Love, a passion for high-quality food runs in his DNA. Buechi grew up visiting his grandparents’ farm in Northeast Switzerland and dreamed of one day becoming a farmer himself. He worked on a biodynamic farm after high school, a formative experience, but also a wake-up call to the harsh realities of farming. So, like any sensible food lover, he decided to pursue an apprenticeship to become a chef instead.

For 20 years, Buechi had a storied career as a chef in high-end hotels in Switzerland and the U.S. However, his then-girlfriend, a woman from Thailand, introduced him to Thai food. During frequent trips to Thailand, Buechi immersed himself in the nuances of curry, often returning home to recreate the dishes for friends.

Around this time, a lightbulb went off: Most packaged curry pastes and Thai products sold in U.S. grocery stores were not organic, vegan nor made with a traceable supply chain. Buechi decided to take matters into his own hands and started bottling his homemade products as Mike’s Organic Curry Love in 2008.

Mike Buechi, founder of Mike's Curry Love

Starting from scratch

Much like his curries, Buechi had to learn everything about owning a CPG company from scratch. One ethos that was non-negotiable for him was ensuring that all his products were USDA Organic, and that he knew where each ingredient was coming from. At the time, Buechi didn’t know of any organic farms in Thailand, so he began his research through a relatable avenue: Google.

Eventually, Buechi was able to find some certified organic farmers and went to meet them in person in Thailand. In the process of starting a business, Buechi’s relationship with his Thai co-packers and suppliers also morphed into one of deep friendship; he visits Thailand twice a year and recently attended a co-packer’s wedding.

A labor of love

But it’s not all limes and coconuts. Buechi faces numerous challenges. First, there is the issue of funding. He used his Swiss retirement savings to start Mike’s Organic Curry Love and, except for modest initial support from friends and family, has no outside funding. Buechi notes that “the lack of outside funding means the company is growing at a slow place. Every dollar that comes in is reinvested in the company.” Although he is more open to outside funding now than before, there’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem: He feels Curry Love is too small to attract outside investors but can’t scale the business without outside funding.

Then there are the myriad costs of running a CPG company that most consumers are unaware of, from getting products onto a grocery store shelf to chargebacks from distributors. For a company with only two full-time employees (Buechi and his wife, Laurie Sebestyen) there is little time to scrutinize each fee, or advocate effectively for their brand in negotiations.

Buechi has learned that even if the product is exceptional, growth can still be difficult. This is true even when the company is doing things responsibly for both people and the planet. A high-quality product often translates into a higher price tag, which is not always palatable for consumers.

Refusing to compromise

Despite these challenges, Buechi still has a passion for curry. All Curry Love products are USDA Organic and his initial interest in biodynamic farming has come full circle with three products that are Demeter Certified Biodynamic—coconut cream, red and green curry sauces, and food service-sized curry pastes.

Biodynamic farming goes beyond organic to incorporate lunar cycles and other holistic practices, mirroring how farming was done before the advent of the modern calendar. Buechi describes biodynamic farming as “the original regenerative method, a labor of love in tune with nature.” Indeed, Mike’s Curry Love may be the only brand selling curries and coconut cream that are both Certified Biodynamic and USDA Organic.

‘There is camaraderie in this industry’

Buechi’s dream is to grow the business. After supply chain distributions during the pandemic, he hopes to get his products back into Whole Foods nationwide, a partnership he deeply values. He also hopes to have his daughter or stepson take over the business one day.

While there’s an irony that Buechi has had more sleepless nights as a small CPG owner than he ever did as a chef, he remains as enamored by this industry as ever. He enjoys the camaraderie of trade shows and the helping-hand attitude in the natural products industry. On difficult days, he and Sebestyen keep one another going, and of course there is the positive feedback he gets from customers, which is perhaps the most gratifying feeling of them all. “People love what we do,” Buechi says. “And it feels so good.”