STAFFORD, Va. Join Always Flavored, a woman-owned business, for the grand opening of its new bistro and retail store on Sun., Nov. 20. This fun-filled block party celebrates the companyâs first location in Fredericksburg.
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âCome on out to see us!â Rita Linnell-Witte, the owner, said. âA flavorful journey starts here. With our gourmet products, you will taste and experience extraordinary and delightful flavors. We invite you to try the unique variety of menu items only we offer, and weâre confident you wonât be disappointed.â
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The party begins at 2 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m.; the public is invited to enjoy this free event. Participants can enjoy, live music by local artists, face painting for children, and other family-friendly activities at 1711 Princess Anne St. in downtown Fredericksburg.
Always Flavored creates specialized gourmet sauces, seasonings, and condiments, including several hot sauce flavors, a barbeque sauce, and fifteen kinds of spices and rubs. All products are sourced locally and naturally produced.
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 âWe make cooking an effortless, delicious, fun, and unique palate experience,â Linnell-Witte said. âWe believe in community and family, and that food brings people together in different ways.â
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Company best-selling items or packages include, Ritabeataâs Thai Chili Sauce, Ranch Seasoning Dressing & Dip Mix, Shawarma Seasoning, Ritabeataâs Mild Hot Sauce, Ritabeataâs Virginia Love BBQ, Ritabeataâs Hot Sauce and The Wrath of Rita. Prices range from $2.99 to $25. Free shipping is available on orders over $60; for orders under $60, there is a flat rate shipping fee of $8.
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Ritaâs business began almost by accident during the COVID-19 lockdown. Her family decided to start gardening, and their garden overproduced peppers. She began to dabble with all kinds of hot sauce recipes and created her first hot sauce recipes. Later, it occurred to her that she had a business opportunity that could support and partner with local businesses that were hurt by the shutdown.
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 âI wanted to support local businesses and support my family,â Rita said. âI am passionate about the idea of creating community-based businesses. America was built on entrepreneurial endeavors. I saw an opportunity, and I took it.â
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Before opening the bistro and retail store, Always Flavored sold products through its online store at www.alwaysflavored.com and the Stafford and Spotsylvania farmersâ markets. Additionally, the company has been a vendor at the Fredericksburg Brew Fest at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds and Cheers Festivals at the FXBG Fairgrounds. Simple and tasty recipes are also found on the website.
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Since she was very young, Rita has had a passion for food. She is well-known by friends and family for using everyday ingredients to create fun and exciting meals. Her career began as a general manager for many food concepts, including Applebeeâs, Papa Johnâs Pizza and Taco Bell to name a few. Throughout her career she learned that one of lifeâs most incredible experiences comes from what people eat.
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Follow Always Flavored on Facebook (@alwaysflavored), Instagram (@alwaysflavored1), Pinterest (alwaysflavored), YouTube (alwaysflavored), and TikTok (alwaysflavored). Interested individuals will find helpful videos, news, and the company events calendar through all these social media outlets.