shipped from distributors to U.S. foodservice outlets, growth has
tapered due to the wide variety of hot sauces now available. Case
shipments of some habanero hot sauce f lavors, particularly haba-
nero with fruit f lavors like mango, grew triple-digits in the year
ending December. Chipotle hot sauce f lavors and Sriracha shipped
double the cases in 2014 than in the previous year.
Heat and Flavor
"Part of hot sauce's growth spurt can be attributed to the rise in the
number of immigrants from spicy food-loving cultures," says Denver
Nicks in his new book "Hot Sauce Nation." But the saturation of
the trend can be seen in the success of fast-food favorites like spicy
chicken sandwiches, jalapeño burgers, and Sriracha sliders.
There are, however, a wide range of preferences in the hot sauce
category. "Most Texans want it straight-up hot," says Karen Brown,
manager, Lone Star Taste, Port Aransas, Texas. Her best sellers
all highlight the pepper: Texas Soda Pop Red Pepper Sauce for its
red jalapeño and cayenne mix, and Cin Chili Cindy's Cin-Fully Hot
Cayenne Sauce, with its mix of cayenne, black pepper, and spices.
She sees her hot and sweet fruit combos, like blueberry and ghost
pepper, as a way to introduce people to the category, but they don't
play a big part in her overall sales.
At Heatonist, a hot sauce specialty store in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
consumers are focused on the food aspect—unique and savory f la-
category spotlight
While the ghost pepper is still a universal
favorite for heat lovers, Chaimberg notes that newer
pepper varieties—like the red jalapeño and the
gnarly-looking Carolina Reaper—are beginning to trend.
Pepplish Provisions Blueberry Basil Shallot
78 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com