Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1194330
70 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT F ueled by the demand for and growing familiarity with authentic international cuisine, and consumers' desire to replicate bold and exotic global flavors, the hot sauce market is on the upswing. According to market research firm Euromonitor, retail sales of hot sauce jumped by almost a quarter over the past five years to about $700 million in 2018, the biggest gain among condiments. And, by the end of 2026, the hot sauce market is anticipated to reach $3.77 billion, according to a Fortune Business Insights report titled "Hot Sauce Market: Global Market Analysis, Insights and Forecasts, 2018-2026." According to the report, the increased consumption of Asian and Mexican-style foods, coupled with a growing immigrant population and the increased familiarity of global regional cuisines, has facilitated the market for the growth and demand of new and innovative products, especially those with traits such as organic and non-GMO. "People's palates are fueled by their international influences," says David Delcourt owner of Seed Ranch Flavor Co. "They have the desire to seek out new or rich savory tastes they may or may not be familiar with. This is especially true in the hot sauce category." Delcourt notes that when it comes to hot sauces, there will always be "dedicated chili heads" seeking the hottest of the hot, but the flavor trajectory is shifting. "We are starting to move away from extreme heat and sweet-spicy sauces like sriracha are waning. The focus is shifting toward fermented flavors like those seen in Korean-inspired gochujang, Indian and South East Asian-influenced sauces, and those that impart umami flavors," he says. Driven by their adventurous palates, some hot sauce customers are opting to purchase lesser- known varieties like Filipino djablo, Middle Eastern zhug, North African awaze and harissa, West African sheto, Malaysian or Indonesian sambal, Rwandan Akabanga chili oil, or sauces with pungent Indian spices like asafoetida, to name a few. "As the crafted hot sauce market becomes more and more saturated, makers are looking to differentiate," says Noah Chaimberg, who helps curate new and inventive hot sauce brands as co-owner of Heatonist, a hot sauce specialty store in Brooklyn, N.Y. "People are referring back to their ancestry and digging up family recipes to make awesome hot sauces that reflect their heritage and culture." According to Chaimberg, people are looking for authentic and relatable flavors from their travels and adventures abroad. Hot sauces with regional global flair can offer bold and strong flavors, be subtle and straightforward, and even offer different fruits and spice notes. "Global trade in food now has a lot of barriers," he continues. "This is one reason we are seeing more diverse flavors and ingredients migrating to homegrown sauces." With almost every cuisine having its own style of hot sauce, customers have the right to be excited about heritage. "[They] are ready to see what else is out there when it comes to hot sauce and what flavor nuances they can discover," adds Kara Bollito's Calabrian Pepper Sauce