--- title: McCormick is building a hot sauce empire - The Hustle description: The 132-year-old spice behemoth thinks hot sauce could be the next ketchup – and the key to stealing the condiment crown from Kraft Heinz. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/637188857-Screen-Shot-2022-02-03-at-9.44.23-AM-1024x679.webp --- # McCormick is building a hot sauce empire ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: February 04, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 You may know McCormick for the red capped bottles that line your spice rack. ![McCormick is building a hot sauce empire](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/637188857-Screen-Shot-2022-02-03-at-9.44.23-AM-1024x679.webp?width=595&height=400&name=637188857-Screen-Shot-2022-02-03-at-9.44.23-AM-1024x679.webp) But according to *Bloomberg*, America’s favorite spice maker has been busy [expanding](https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-mccormick-franks-cholula-hot-sauce-supremacy/?srnd=premium) its empire into a spicy new sector: hot sauce. #### **McCormick was founded in 1889…** … by Willoughby McCormick, who started out making root beer and fruit syrups. From there, a series of acquisitions made the company a major player in the global spice trade following the Great Depression. McCormick has continued to fuel expansion through acquisitions — scooping up Old Bay for **$12.5m** in 1990 and Lawry’s for **$604m** in 2008. In 2015, leadership decided to push into new markets, kicking off a saucy acquisition spree that includes: - Stubb’s barbeque sauce for **$100m** in 2015 - Frank’s RedHot and French’s mustard for a whopping **$4.2B** in 2017 - Cholula for** $800m** in 2020 #### **So why hot sauce?** McCormick believes it’s the “ketchup” of the next generation, and the key to wresting the condiment crown from The Kraft Heinz Company. While *Euromonitor International* reports the ketchup market is still ~$2B larger than the market for chili sauces, McCormick points to 2 factors that bode well for the future of hot sauce: - Increased popularity of Mexican cuisine and other international flavors - Cultural relevance through shows like “Hot Ones,” an interview series on YouTube where guests answer questions over wings The other reason? Through its massive wholesaler network, McCormick is perfectly positioned to sell tons of hot sauce to a long list of restaurants and retailers. Case in point, the company has already put Frank’s and Cholula on the menu at Subway and Chopt, a fast-casual salad chain. #### **But Kraft Heinz isn’t going down without a fight** The condiment behemoth has been busy experimenting with a line of flavors called “mashups” that mix classic flavors. Blends include [Buffaranch](https://www.target.com/p/heinz-mashups-buffaranch-16-5oz/-/A-81625952?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df_free_online&CPNG=Grocery&adgroup=212-4) (buffalo & ranch dressing), [Honeyracha](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Heinz-Honeyracha-Honey-Sriracha-Sauce-20-2-oz-Bottle/363718661) (honey & Sriracha), and [Sweet Ketchili](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Heinz-Sweet-Ketchili-Ketchup-Chili-Sauce-15-5-fl-oz-Bottle/226780059?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2103&adid=22222222277226780059_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-293946777986&wl5=9001865&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=226780059&wl13=2103&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0eOPBhCGARIsAFIwTs5VaSqTd1aAPWundrYhjGcy3pzj2vrxg2LNSTInrCd6VOnQV1cA9aAaAjlOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) (ketchup & sweet chili sauce). While the verdict is still out on the names, it’s clear the battle for condiment supremacy will leave consumers with a new frontier of flavors. Topics: [Food](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/food) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![Holy smokes, there may actually be a limit to Texans’ love of barbecue](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1244337807-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Texas-BBQ_20230928210924.webp) ### Holy smokes, there may actually be a limit to Texans’ love of barbecue - ![Think your industry is weird? Get a load of the beaded ice cream business](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/908447747-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-dippindots_20231002233115.webp) ### Think your industry is weird? 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