Even in their college days, Kelly Schexnaildre scoffed at the thin, vinegary hot sauces commonly available in restaurants and grocery stores, including brands like Tabasco. They wanted bold, fresh flavors that surprised and delighted the gourmet palate. So they started making their own. Schexnaildre never imagined the hot sauce industry would become one of the fastest-growing in the food world — or one that would see more than a dozen Colorado competitors sprout up. “When I founded it in 2014, there were maybe 25 or 30 total hot sauce companies across the entire U.S.,” said Schexnaildre, now 37 and CEO of Colorado-based Merfs Condiments (named for the family’s 13-year-old basset hound). “Now there’s like 500 to 600,” Schexnaildre said. Behind the growth is a mix of self-starter chefs, adventurous eaters, retail expansion, and the trendy “Hot Ones” series, which dares celebrities to run a gauntlet of 10 increasingly painful sauces while they answer questions posed by host Sean Evans.
Comment on Colorado hot sauce makers are on fire as sales jump, “Hot Ones” goes mainstream
John Wenzel, Denver Post: Entertainment
Thu, 06/27/2024 - 5:00am
Comment On This Story
Welcome to Wopular
Wopular is an
online newspaper rack,
giving you a summary view of the top headlines from the top news sites.
Senh Duong (Founder)
Wopular,
MWB,
RottenTomatoes
MoviesWithButter : Our Sister Site
- "Expendables 4" Starts Shooting This Fall, Says Randy Couture at the Arnold Sports Festival more
- “Expendables 4” Gets Funding Interest from “Ip Man 3” Financier more
- "Ip Man 3" Distributor Suspected of Box Office Fraud, Parent Company Loses $200M in Market Cap more
- Yen Targets "Ip Man 4" for 2018 Release; Discusses Film with Director, Producer more
- "Ip Man 3" Shatters Expectations with $72M Opening [China Box Office] more