Hellraising Hot Sauce Update

I must say, Hellraising Hot Sauce has come a long way since we last spoke about it. DT and I are over the moon! It’s been a crazy six months or so.

Our imposed period of unemployment turned out to be a blessing on the hot sauce front. It gave us solid blocks of uninterrupted time to get our ducks in a row – food safety instruction, acquiring insurance, filing with the MDA/FDA, approving labels, renting commercial kitchen space, inspector signoff, applying for the endless licenses and certificates needed to produce, bottle, and sell our product. It is certainly a tricky system to navigate, there is absolutely no straight line to get from point A to point B. But once you get there….the fun (and work) can begin!

Pallet of produce.

This buggy is f-u-l-l-!

Our first official day of production in the commercial kitchen was May 8. It’s so funny to think back on that day and how clueless we were. With all of our supplies and groceries in tow….picking up produce from the wholesaler, setting ourselves up and fumbling around the kitchen for the first time….let’s just say it was a VERY long day. But it was so EXCITING!

Now when we are scheduled at the kitchen, DT and I are like a machine. It’s all business, no small talk, no dilly-dallying….we found a groove in three short months. DT does this, I do that. He starts this, I finish that. And vice versa. It’s good.

First batch of Triple Inferno!

DT the Hot Saucer.

As you know, Hellraising started with two sauces, Sweet Suffering and Triple Inferno. This summer we released a third sauce, Green Fever – it’s become my new favorite! This recipe is a tad milder than the others, using serrano peppers with lime. The lime flavor is so bright and pairs brilliantly with the pepper heat. I eat it by the spoonful!

Cases of sauce.

We are thrilled to be in a few restaurants around the Twin Cities, including Sea Salt, Señor Wong, Pizza Luce – Richfield, Driftwood Char Bar, and George and the Dragon. Twisted Oak Wood Fired Pizza developed a special pizza recipe using Green Fever which is so cool. We are constantly scouting out other spots and have made some wonderful connections as we stop into places and talk to folks about our sauce.

Finished product!

We’ve sold direct to customers that sought us out, hearing about Hellraising one way or another – it’s so crazy and delightfully random. And yet at the same time so purposeful and intentional. The interest and enthusiasm has been so, SO unbelievably inspiring and invigorating. DT and I just relish every minute of it. We LOVE meeting fans!

Our sauces are on the shelves at Guse Green Grocer and we are chatting with a few other grocery stores as well.

Hellraising even has a couple of reviews! You can see them here (Sweet Suffering) and here (Triple Inferno).

It’s been a really exciting time and we are working hard, but enjoying the hard work so, so much. What’s that saying about doing something you love? You’ll never work a day in your life? I think DT and I are now getting to see what that really means and it’s awesome.

So anyway, just wanted to share all of our news….it’s Hellraising all day, every day – yippee! 🙂