Blaze Gourmet makes hot sauces and other spirited pantry staples under the playful persona of Cowboy George. Its lineup ranges from garlic-habanero heat to unexpected combinations such as mango with Scotch bonnet peppers and a dessert-style hot blueberry sauce. The brand also brings its bottles to the Medina Square Farmers Market, giving it a visible local-market presence.
The Pepper Ninja Hot SauceFounded by Derek Landfair, The Pepper Ninja Hot Sauce makes small-batch hot sauces in Ohio with a flavor-first approach. Its lineup ranges from savory garlic and habanero blends to Ninja Napalm, a Scorpion pepper sauce featured on Hot Ones Season 25, with heat designed to complement food rather than overpower it. The company also supplies retailers through its wholesale program.
Horseshoe BrandSince 2008, Horseshoe Brand has handcrafted hot sauce and barbecue sauce in New York’s Hudson Valley, building its recipes around fresh premium ingredients and naturally hot peppers rather than pepper extracts. Its sauces range from mild to high heat, including the scorpion-and-Carolina-reaper XXXXtra, and are sold through more than 1,000 stores in the United States and around the world.RHINEBECK, NY
FAIYAFAIYA makes handcrafted, small-batch hot sauces with a flavor-first approach, using fresh produce and fruit without added sugar or artificial ingredients. A tiny team of friends makes each sauce by hand, and the recipes have earned one Scovie Award and two International Flave Awards. Its lineup ranges from the mango-based What The Fuego to the art-driven limited edition La Muerte.
Bushwick KitchenBorn in Brooklyn in 2014 with its flagship habanero-spiked honey, Bushwick Kitchen makes playful twists on everyday pantry staples. The company builds its range around ingredients sourced from growers and makers, pairing sweetness and heat in products such as spicy honey, maple syrup and sriracha. Its lineup has appeared at Walmart and in Vanity Fair, and has earned recognition from Food & Wine.WASHINGTON, DC