Six Years of Always Flavored: From Backyard Peppers to Sysco

Six years.

Somehow, that sentence feels both very big and very small.

In 2020, Always Flavored started with a whole lot of peppers, a love of good food, and an idea that maybe we could make something better than what we were finding on the shelf.

There was no giant master plan.

There was definitely no spreadsheet that said, “In six years, you’ll have award-winning products, a Bistro & Market in Downtown Fredericksburg, products in hundreds of retail locations, and a relationship with Sysco.”

And yet, here we are.

A Lot Can Happen in Six Years

Always Flavored has changed a lot since those early days.

What started as hot sauce grew into BBQ sauces, seasonings, rubs, salts and specialty products. Along the way, our products started earning awards, showing up on more shelves, reaching new wholesale customers and finding their way into kitchens far beyond Fredericksburg.

Today, Always Flavored products are available in more than 300 retail locations, including Food Lion stores and independent retailers, along with online and wholesale channels.

We’ve also grown beyond being just a product company.

Our Bistro & Market at 619 Caroline Street has given us a way to put our flavors directly on the plate and show people exactly what we mean when we say:

Flavor First. Always.

That part has always mattered most to me.

I don’t want to make something just because it is hot. I want it to taste good. I want it to make your sandwich better, your wings better, your dinner easier, and your food more interesting.

If it doesn’t make the food better, then what are we doing?

And Then Came Sysco

One of the biggest milestones for us this year has been becoming a Sysco vendor.

This one feels especially meaningful.

I grew up in the restaurant industry. I’ve spent most of my life around foodservice, kitchens, vendors, ordering, inventory and all the chaos that comes with this business.

Sysco is one of those names you know.

So to go from making sauce because I had too many peppers to becoming a vendor with a company like Sysco is a little hard to wrap my head around.

It also opens a completely new door for Always Flavored.

Retail has been a huge part of our growth, but foodservice is a different opportunity entirely. It gives us a chance to get our products into more restaurants, kitchens and businesses and to continue growing in a way that makes sense for who we are.

Six years ago, this was peppers in my kitchen.

Today, we’re talking about Sysco.

That one is worth stopping for.

The Awards Are Pretty Cool Too

Over the years, our products have also earned recognition in national and international competitions.

Products including Fire Salt, Wrath of Rita, Peri-Peri, Ritabeata’s Mild and Sweet Virginia Love BBQ Sauce have all received awards.

And yes, I am proud of those.

But what makes me happiest is when a customer tastes something and says, “Oh, that’s actually really good.”

Because that has always been the point.

The heat, the packaging and the awards are great, but flavor is what keeps people coming back.

Fredericksburg Has Been a Big Part of This Story

Always Flavored would not be what it is without Fredericksburg.

This community has watched us move, grow, change, experiment, screw some things up, try again, launch new products, add food, host events, work with other local businesses and somehow keep going.

Our customers have followed us through all of it.

They’ve supported us when things were exciting and when things were hard.

That matters more than I can really put into words.

The Bistro has also given us a place to bring people together through food, collaborations, pairing dinners, local events and community partnerships.

We’ve always believed food is supposed to bring people together.

Now we get to see that happen every day.

So Yes, We’re Celebrating

Always Flavored turns six this September, and we are celebrating September 18–20 at the Bistro & Market at 619 Caroline Street in Downtown Fredericksburg.

We’ll kick off the weekend with a ribbon cutting on Friday, September 18, and spend the weekend celebrating with the customers, friends, community partners and collaborators who helped us get here.

Because this anniversary is not just about me or even about Always Flavored.

It is about every person who bought a bottle, shared a post, brought a friend in, carried our products in their store, collaborated with us, cheered us on or told someone else, “You have to try this.”

You helped build this too.

What Comes Next?

I have absolutely no idea.

And if the last six years have taught me anything, that is probably a good thing.

What I do know is that we are not done.

We’ve built a strong foundation, we have more opportunities in front of us than ever before, and we are going to keep doing what we have always done:

Make great food.

Make bold flavors.

Support our community.

Take the next opportunity when it comes.

And occasionally look around and say, “How the hell did we get here?”

Thank you for six years.

Really.

We can’t wait to see what comes next.

Flavor First. Always.