To9 Herb & Spice: The Origin Story

Updated: May 10

During Covid, while sitting with my baby on my lap, in my mother’s house, I had no idea that a small dream about spices would grow into To9 Herb & Spice.

Where it all began

At the time, the world felt uncertain for everyone. Like many people, Covid taught me that relying on only one income stream was risky. But somewhere between motherhood, uncertainty, and long conversations about the future, a dream slowly started taking shape.

I have always loved food, natural products, and the healing power of herbs and spices.

Cooking was never just about meals to me — it was about comfort, creativity, health, and bringing people together.

So, despite having a career in architecture, I decided to take a leap of faith into something completely different: opening my own spice shop in Hartbeespoort.

It was a bold decision… but strangely, it didn’t feel that unfamiliar.

Architecture taught me how to build something from nothing — to dream, design, and bring ideas to life. Suddenly I found myself designing not buildings, but a business. From labels and stickers to shelves, products, branding, and future possibilities… To9 Herb & Spice slowly began to take form.

2021 - When my baby turned one..

Early 2021 my baby turned one and I decided it is now or never. When you truly commit to a decision and you are willing to act on it, the world around you seems to fall into place and doors open up.

I immersed myself completely in research. I explored flavours, cultures, herbs, healing traditions, and exotic spices from around the world.

What started as curiosity quickly became a passion. As my search continued I met someone involved in importing and exporting exotic animals, who also introduced me to various amazing African and other ultra exotic spices.

These spices captivated me and I knew I had to share them with South Africa!

My mother and I…

I will never forget the day those first spice shipments arrived at my house.

My mom was visiting, and together we sat in the garage opening box after box, exploring the new-found spices and aromas. The entire house filled with the rich scent of cinnamon, smoked spices, herbs, peppers, and unfamiliar exotic blends. It felt like stepping into another world. Every packet held something exciting and unknown. It was a total sensory overload. If you ever had the privilege of a full tour in our shop you will know what I am talking about.

As exciting as it was, it was just as intimidating. I had invested so much money into products, packaging and this dream. I could only hope and pray that this would be a success.

It takes the whole family

Soon after, I rented a small shop in Meerhof.

And honestly… It took our whole family to make it happen.

The children became part of the journey from the very beginning. My husband stood beside me through every challenge, every crazy idea, every stressful moment, and every leap of faith. Even when my plans sounded unrealistic or far-fetched, he believed in me.

As a mother, one of the greatest gifts is having someone who helps carry the load when life becomes heavy.

That season taught me that true teamwork is not always carrying the weight with you -sometimes it’s quietly carrying the weight around you.

2022 - Experiment, Learning & Growth

Over the next year I created numerous new Spice blend recipes and delved into spices for Gin. My curiosity eventually led me into the world of coffee - adding spices to coffee, exploring pairings, and creating unique flavour experiences.

This eventually became To9 Experimental Coffees. In 2022, I opened a small outlet in Kyalami, Fourways and also expanded my current spiceshop into a coffee shop space where I could continue experimenting, creating, and learning. With almost no budget, we built everything piece by piece as a family.

The coffee shop became more than just a business venture — it became a creative space. A place where I could test new ideas, connect with people, host courses, and share knowledge.

One thing this journey taught me is this:

“The more you know, the more you realize there is so much more to learn.”

And that is one of the beautiful things about spices, food, and people — there is always more to discover.

2026 - A New Chapter

2026 brought some of the biggest and boldest decisions yet.

We took another leap of faith and moved To9 Herb & Spice to the newly developed De Handelspost Centre in Hartbeespoort, while also opening Hartbeespoort’s very first KAUAI.

I still remember being a little girl in primary school, buying healthy wraps with my mom at the Kauai in Menlyn. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I would own one myself.

Life has a strange way of bringing things full circle.

Today, we continue dreaming bigger, exploring new opportunities, and finding ways to share our products with even more people.

But at its heart, To9 Herb & Spice was never only about spices.

It was about courage.

It was about family.

It was about faith.

And it was about building something meaningful for the people I love.

A Mother’s Day Reflection

If there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it’s this:

Mothers are capable of building extraordinary things in the middle of ordinary life.

Sometimes it starts in a garage.

Sometimes it starts with uncertainty.

Sometimes it starts with a baby on your lap and a dream in your heart.

To every mother building, sacrificing, supporting, creating, nurturing, and carrying others while chasing her own dreams - this story is for you.

Me and my Mom. "Thank you for raising me into the woman I am today."

Thank you to every person who has been part of the To9 journey. Every conversation, every customer, every helping hand, every prayer, and every moment of support has meant more than you know.

So, what does the future hold in store for us? Only God knows, but I believe and trust that it will be great and that I will have the opportunity to tread deep and true.

Besides, the story is still being written… and I believe the best chapters are still ahead.

<Tonine Warden