Joey Repice, founder of Joey’s Hot Sauce, built his business out of a personal need and years of experience in the restaurant industry.
Repice launched the company in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, after his wife struggled to find a hot sauce without additives, preservatives or fillers.
Today, Joey’s Hot Sauce has grown into an award-winning brand known for its organic ingredients and emphasis on transparency, including Repice’s face on each label.
Repice said his process sets the product apart. Instead of boiling peppers, he uses fire-roasting to develop flavor.
“Did you ever try a boiled chicken compared to a roasted chicken? There’s a big difference," he said.
He combines roasted peppers with seasonal sweet and hot varieties to create what he describes as a versatile pepper puree.
Repice draws on more than two decades in the restaurant industry, where he said he learned how memorable flavors connect with people.
"You taste something," he said "(It) creates like a haunting memory," Repice said.
That approach has helped shape a growing product line, including Hot Honey and the Flamethrower, a sauce that combines some of the hottest peppers in the world.
Despite national recognition, including awards from the Fiery Food Challenge and the European Hot Sauce Awards, Repice continues to produce his sauces in Southern Oregon. He works with local growers and produces at Fry Family Farms in Medford.
Repice said he plans to grow the business gradually, focusing on local distributors and maintaining a hands-on connection with customers.
“They get to see the face and talk to me about the process,” he said. "It pulls them into the product."
This philosophy has led to a range of successful products, including the award-winning Hot Honey and the Flamethrower.
Guest
- Joey Repice, owner, Joey's Hot Sauce
