Chef Abi and Tosin Oluwatoye bottle specialty jerk BBQ sauces in Philadelphia, bringing together the culinary influences of Lagos, Afro-Caribbean cooking, and American barbecue. Danfo’s mild and spicy sauces grew from the couple’s restaurant experience and are made to move easily from grilling to dipping. The brand takes its name from Lagos’s lively danfo buses, a fitting emblem for sauces built around bold flavor and movement across food traditions.
The Saucy AfricanIn Pittsburgh, Janet and James Digber-Williams bottle slow-cooked tomato simmer sauces and spice blends rooted in African home cooking. The Saucy African grew from Janet’s late-night pots for friends and family into a shared effort to bring the rich, soulful flavors she grew up loving to everyday kitchens. Its jars are designed to make dishes such as jollof rice, stews and pasta approachable without losing their cultural character.CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA
Uncle Jammy's Sauces & SeasoningsBorn from a late-night kitchen experiment in 2005, Uncle Jammy’s makes Pittsburgh-made BBQ sauces, hot sauces and rubs in small batches. Founded by Jamal Etienne-Harrigan, the brand pairs chef-developed recipes with a playful Steel City identity, from its signature avocado-jalapeño Area 51 sauce to an IPA collaboration created in just eight days. Its standard lineup uses real ingredients without high-fructose corn syrup, MSG or artificial fillers, and the flavors have earned multiple Scovie Awards.PITTSBURGH, PA
Cantina Royal Hot SauceBorn from the Williamsburg Mexican restaurant and bar Cantina Royal, Diana Beshara and Executive Chef Julio MM make inventive hot sauces in Brooklyn using chiles thoughtfully sourced from Mexico. The proudly woman-owned and minority-owned company became a three-season Hot Ones feature, while its Tamaulipeka sauce was named Saveur’s “Best Overall Hot Sauce.”
The Grill Pantry LLCThe Grill Pantry LLC began with Paul and Carmen’s grilled chicken wings and now makes flavor-packed barbecue sauces in Gansevoort, New York. Its original WIPLASH! wing sauce sparked the business after party guests kept asking for more, and the lineup has since grown to include sauces such as the smoky-spicy GET JACKED! and sweet-tangy HAT TRICK!.