New frontier for hot sauce

[DEFCON Creator]

Greetings, all. I got some great news from a woman I work with. I had given her a few sample bottles of our sauce about 3 weeks ago. She was giving it to her husband (what a nice wife). Anyway, I didn't realize he is currently stationed in Iraq. Our product was received there, and was given the thumbs up. I'm waiting for some pictures, as I am mailing him and his buddies a bunch of t-shirts and bottles. I am kind of surprised it got through the censors with the way the labels and bottles look, but just thought I'd share that with you guys, it's definitely cool.

[bubbaschili]

gee kinda makes me wish i was in iraq

[Tina Brooks]

Greetings, all. I got some great news from a woman I work with. I had given her a few sample bottles of our sauce about 3 weeks ago. She was giving it to her husband (what a nice wife). Anyway, I didn't realize he is currently stationed in Iraq. Our product was received there, and was given the thumbs up. I'm waiting for some pictures, as I am mailing him and his buddies a bunch of t-shirts and bottles. I am kind of surprised it got through the censors with the way the labels and bottles look, but just thought I'd share that with you guys, it's definitely cool.

John, my man, are you aware that the US Armed Forces takes calls for tender from hot sauce makers... If you got chosen, you could be their official hot sauce; last I heard, the contract was still up for grabs.

I can't get the contract unfortunately, they don't take Foreign products for the US armed forces. :)

T.

[DEFCON Creator]

Wouldn't that be something:

"DEFCON Sauces, official sponsor for the U.S. Military"

I kind of like the ring to it.

When I get the pics back from the guys, I'll share them with you guys. Kind of ironic though, hot sauce in 120+ degree weather. Perhaps it allows them to acclimate to the weather easier. I just wish there was some way to get them some wings to go along with the sauce. I have a feeling they may defrost by the time they arrive at their destination.

[Tina Brooks]

Wouldn't that be something:

"DEFCON Sauces, official sponsor for the U.S. Military"

I kind of like the ring to it.

When I get the pics back from the guys, I'll share them with you guys. Kind of ironic though, hot sauce in 120+ degree weather. Perhaps it allows them to acclimate to the weather easier. I just wish there was some way to get them some wings to go along with the sauce. I have a feeling they may defrost by the time they arrive at their destination.

OMG, that reminds me of that M*A*S*H* episode (am I the only one old enough to remember... They (Trapper John, I think) were jonesing over these ribs and sauce that you could only get in a particular restaurant in the States, so Radar got on the blower and the restaurant packs the whole thing in dry ice and sends it over raw.

Can you see it, can you???

Think big, man! What a marketing opportunity! The press coverage would be enormous!

T

[DEFCON Creator]

That's the idea. Even though we are small batch operation now, doesn't mean down the road things won't change. Once I get the pics back, I intend to go to our local newspaper and see if they will do a write-up about it.

I was thinking about what you said about being a "sponsor". If I'm not mistaken, Tabasco is included along will all the MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) that are given out by the various services.

[Tina Brooks]

That's the idea. Even though we are small batch operation now, doesn't mean down the road things won't change. Once I get the pics back, I intend to go to our local newspaper and see if they will do a write-up about it.

I was thinking about what you said about being a "sponsor". If I'm not mistaken, Tabasco is included along will all the MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) that are given out by the various services.

That would be the sort of thing that would definitely require a press release! Let me know if you need to learn how to write one, and I'll hook you up with some good links.

As for MREs, Kack! Obviously whoever is putting them together at PMQ has NO idea what "hot sauce" means. Is there any wonder that they are having such a hard time in Iraq!

Oooh, sorry... put my politics away. ;)

T.

[DEFCON Creator]

Tina, no politics on the board :evil:

Anyway, yeah, I seem to have an opportunity here that shouldn't be passed up. I'm just waiting to hear back from the lady's husband who received our product. As soon as I hear back from him, I might as well go buy myself a large kettle for the sauce, I have a feeling I'm gonna need it. Got any ideas where to buy used kettles? Perferably noy more than 20-25 gallons.

I am indeed psyched about this whole event. It is ironic that our product name, a military acronym, would get past the censors.

[Tina Brooks]

Tina, no politics on the board :evil:

Anyway, yeah, I seem to have an opportunity here that shouldn't be passed up. I'm just waiting to hear back from the lady's husband who received our product. As soon as I hear back from him, I might as well go buy myself a large kettle for the sauce, I have a feeling I'm gonna need it. Got any ideas where to buy used kettles? Perferably noy more than 20-25 gallons.

I am indeed psyched about this whole event. It is ironic that our product name, a military acronym, would get past the censors.

Hey! Can I help it if I really really really like Johnny Depp and Bill Maher??? :shock:

If you get DEFCON past the military censors... I wanna help write the press release! These boys (and girls) deserve better than Tabasco, even if I don't agree with their boss' objectives. (oops, did I say that out loud?) :twisted:

You go guy.

T

[DEFCON Creator]

And I like Charleton Heston and Clint Eastwood, but I think we can still be friends. :mrgreen:

Anyway, you're not going to believe this, but a couple we met a few months ago in Montana are regular customers. They recently placed a rather large order from us. They stated their son and his buddy live on our stuff and they wanted to stock up. Foolish me asked why they needed to stock up...You guessed it, they're on their way to Iraq as well, and want to bring the sauce with them. Wonder if I could set up a kiosk in Baghdad?

[Tina Brooks]

And I like Charleton Heston and Clint Eastwood, but I think we can still be friends. :mrgreen:

Anyway, you're not going to believe this, but a couple we met a few months ago in Montana are regular customers. They recently placed a rather large order from us. They stated their son and his buddy live on our stuff and they wanted to stock up. Foolish me asked why they needed to stock up...You guessed it, they're on their way to Iraq as well, and want to bring the sauce with them. Wonder if I could set up a kiosk in Baghdad?

Pacifist that I am... Something tells me that setting up a kiosk in Baghdad at this time would be like selling Stars of David on the Gaza Strip.

Hmmm... maybe set one up at Andrew's or even West Point... much safer that way

[DEFCON Creator]

We actually lived on post at West Point before we moved to Jersey. As far as I know, the only concession stand is in front of Michie Stadium (where the Army football games are played.)

I'll tell ya though Tina, for a small operation, we are getting advertising in the strangest places. Besides Iraq, my wife works at Seton Hall University and was approached by their Public Relations department last week, they want to do a full page article on the history of our company, due to the number of requests from students who use our stuff on wings all the time. Nothin' like a free full page add in a major university newspaper on the first day class is in session. Crazy stuff, but it's all good.

[Tina Brooks]

We actually lived on post at West Point before we moved to Jersey. As far as I know, the only concession stand is in front of Michie Stadium (where the Army football games are played.)

I'll tell ya though Tina, for a small operation, we are getting advertising in the strangest places. Besides Iraq, my wife works at Seton Hall University and was approached by their Public Relations department last week, they want to do a full page article on the history of our company, due to the number of requests from students who use our stuff on wings all the time. Nothin' like a free full page add in a major university newspaper on the first day class is in session. Crazy stuff, but it's all good.

You go dude!

Good publicity is really way better than bad publicity. :D

Are you entering anything in the Scovies this year???

T

[DEFCON Creator]

We're getting our stuff together as we speak. We'll be entering the wing sauce category (too bad they don't want extract stuff, the stuff is great!)

But we're also going for labeling and packaging. People seem intrigued by our pharmaceutical bottles and cryptic labels.

All I want for Christmas is my own Scovie. :D

[Tina Brooks]

We're getting our stuff together as we speak. We'll be entering the wing sauce category (too bad they don't want extract stuff, the stuff is great!)

But we're also going for labeling and packaging. People seem intrigued by our pharmaceutical bottles and cryptic labels.

All I want for Christmas is my own Scovie. :D

Me too, I want a Scovie... Although, I don't know if we'll bother this year... It's not such an important thing to our Canadian market as it is down there. And besides, I don't see us having a booth at the Fiery Foods until 2007 at any rate. THAT year, it will be important to have the Scovies under our belt, methinks.

That said... With the price to enter... I'm still trying to figure out how to afford what I do want to send and how to decide which few to send; we've got 24 different sauces already and more coming before Xmas! Everyone deservous of a Scovie... Of course, I'm more than a little biased. ;)

T

[DEFCON Creator]

I hear ya. We only have 3 sauces (soon to be 4, waiting for the lawyers to write up the disclaimers for the extract sauce), and it ain't cheap to enter, so we are being a bit picky in our submissions. I'm kind of psyched about the packaging and labeling categories though, I think we should do pretty well.

[Tina Brooks]

I hear ya. We only have 3 sauces (soon to be 4, waiting for the lawyers to write up the disclaimers for the extract sauce), and it ain't cheap to enter, so we are being a bit picky in our submissions. I'm kind of psyched about the packaging and labeling categories though, I think we should do pretty well.

I hope you do well too. From what I hear, the second you win a Scovie, you're suddenly inundated with orders. There's a headache I could handle. I don't know if that's true or not, I never asked Kato, he's won one for his chocolate bar. Maybe he'll comment if he's reading this.

One of the things I have to work on today is figuring out whether or not we can get an entry in or not. I'm thinking we can get at least one sauce in and if we do, I personally, I think we stand a good chance.

Question is... which one do I enter. What a dilemma!

T.

[DEFCON Creator]

With all the different categories, and all the different sauces you guys have, just match up one with a category that best suits it (Caribbean, wing sauce, prepared dip, etc)

[Tina Brooks]

With all the different categories, and all the different sauces you guys have, just match up one with a category that best suits it (Caribbean, wing sauce, prepared dip, etc)

I get that... THAT is the tricky part!!! :cry:

[DEFCON Creator]

What about submitting the sauces in the "other" category?

[Tina Brooks]

What about submitting the sauces in the "other" category?

That's a thought, but then I wouldn't really be knowing if I won vs the real competition or not.

T

[DEFCON Creator]

Hmmm, well, sometimes you must just accentuate the positive. A Scovie is a Scovie. Increased sales are increased sales.

[Tina Brooks]

Hmmm, well, sometimes you must just accentuate the positive. A Scovie is a Scovie. Increased sales are increased sales.

I suppose that's so... I notice Kato still hasn't commented on what his Scovie did for him... I don't think he's following this thread.

T

[kato]

T

The Scovie we won in 2001 was really great along with the fiery food challenge we won in 2000 They are great marketing tools as for categories we always enter the habanero hot sauce category are always a lot of fun to find where your product rates with other sauces

Mick
Kato's

[Tina Brooks]

T

The Scovie we won in 2001 was really great along with the fiery food challenge we won in 2000 They are great marketing tools as for categories we always enter the habanero hot sauce category are always a lot of fun to find where your product rates with other sauces

Mick
Kato's

They tell you how you rate vis-a-vis your competitors? cool.

Methinks I should reread the application forms.

T

[tinner666]

From the sounds of it, the Hurricane Goat Mash should be a winner. Haven't tried it yet, though. Frank

[LBTC]

[quote="DEFCON Creator"]

I might as well go buy myself a large kettle for the sauce, I have a feeling I'm gonna need it. Got any ideas where to buy used kettles? Perferably noy more than 20-25 gallons.


If you were serious about the kettle, I have been doing some research in that area myself. I have come upon a few sites but the easiest to use is Equipement Exchange Company of America. They seem to have a wide range of sizes with pictures included. The site is www.eeclick.com
Phone 814-774-0888. I have been putting together my wish list but not quite at the stage to make a purchase. Anyway hope this helps.

[LBTC]

oops sorry that link didn't go through - try this.


http://www.eeclink.com/products/search/default.asp

yep, it worked that time

[DEFCON Creator]

Thanks LB,
I looked at the site, the ones they list are bigger than I'm looking for at the moment. You stated you were building a wish list...You may want to check out E-bay )believe it or not), they have a huge selection of commercial kitchen equipment, new and used. I'm mainly looking for a 20-25 gallon max. kettle, preferably with a spigot (bottom center) and tilt.

[Tina Brooks]

From the sounds of it, the Hurricane Goat Mash should be a winner. Haven't tried it yet, though. Frank

lol, thanks Frank. You should try it.

Not to sound too lacking in humility but it is a winner and don't need a scovie to tell me so.

Heck just reading this review: http://www.hotsauceblog.com/hotsaucearchives/peppermaster-hurricane-mash/

Warms the very cockles, it does.

Can a Scovie possibly feel that good???

[LinNJoe]

From the sounds of it, the Hurricane Goat Mash should be a winner. Haven't tried it yet, though. Frank

lol, thanks Frank. You should try it.

Not to sound too lacking in humility but it is a winner and don't need a scovie to tell me so.

Heck just reading this review: http://www.hotsauceblog.com/hotsaucearchives/peppermaster-hurricane-mash/

Warms the very cockles, it does.

Can a Scovie possibly feel that good???

...and we all know that there's nothing quite like warm cockles. :lol:

[DEFCON Creator]

I guess it's better than being "Cold Cockled". :shock:

[Tina Brooks]

:lol: