Only in a town called Bethlehem could something so unique be conceived. One couple’s idea to combine their two passions – Jesus and hot sauce – has turned into a thriving business that has generated national attention.
Bethlehem,Georgia (PRWEB) February 7, 2006 -- Only in a town called Bethlehem could something so unique be conceived. One couple’s idea to combine their two passions – Jesus and hot sauce – has turned into a thriving business that has generated national attention.
Allen and Vicky McRoberts, owners of Bethlehem’s Best Gourmet Sauces., makers of gourmet sauces, jams, and marinades with scripture verses imprinted on the label, have grown the company from a small operation to a leader in the hot sauce industry.
Their secret? Business is hot as long as they can make people sweat.
“A lot of the ideas and flavors are born in our kitchen,” said Allen, founder and operator of Barrow-based Bethlehem’s Best Gourmet Sauces. His wife Vicky said hot sauce flavors, and their degree of heat intensity, are conceived through trial and error, with them being the guinea pigs. Sauces aren’t ready to hit the market until the McRoberts have tasted it on a multitude of food items.
“We are very creative,” she said. “Allen and I both love to cook, and we’re always trying different things.” Eight of our 70 products are nationally known award winners.
A warm reception
Because their sauces, salsas, syrups and other products offer a unique mesh of flavors, they’ve received a warm reception from consumers, said Allen.
“It’s a versatile product that goes on anything,” he said, adding that their newly introduced Pineapple and Pepper Sauce is equally at home served on baked chicken as it is atop an ice cream scoop.
Their products can be found at most upscale meat markets, gourmet stores nationwide, and on the web at many hot sauce stores. Even though their gourmet sauces are also sold through the company’s Web site and at various locations throughout Tennessee and Florida, the products are a big hit at food shows in New York, Texas and California. In June, Bethlehem’s Best hot sauces were featured on “Recipe for Success,” a show aired by the Food Network.
Business spirit
As avid collectors of hot sauces, the McRoberts have spent many years amassing nearly 2000 bottles in their personal collection. Since 2001, they’ve been making their own – with one notable difference to most others they’ve come across.
“There’s a lot of bottles we won’t collect because of what’s on the label,” Vicky said. “We thought we’d put bible verses on our labels and bring some good news instead of trash.”
Customers appreciate the “good word” shared through the product labels, said the couple, who lead children’s church at The Pointe at Providence Church. Although already a fiery competitor in the hot sauce industry, the company’s slogan, “hot sauces filled with the spirit” provide the Barrow business with a niche in the Christian marketplace.
Through clever marketing, Bethlehem’s Best has branched out to partner with local churches and Christian bookstores. Many churches nationwide participate in the company’s jelly ministry, an outreach that places jars of Bethlehem’s Best strawberry or blackberry jelly in the hands of their first time visitors.
Getting sauced
Bethlehem’s Best has attained a level of recognition within their industry that many corporations take years to achieve. The McRoberts credit God, their relentless pursuit of creating distinctive sauce flavors and fresh ingredients as the secrets to their continued success.
While most businesses strive to keep the competitive edge in their market, Allen and Vicky McRoberts feel compelled to help fellow entrepreneurs take off in the hot sauce industry. “We are really trying to mentor people into getting started,” Allen said. “We like to say we’ve helped people ‘get sauced.’”
Always looking for ways to get involved in their industry, Bethlehem’s Best was the corporate sponsor recently at a cook-off competition held in San Diego, California. The winner of the cook-off walked away with the privilege of having his product packaged by the Bethlehem company.
“We took the winner, and instead of giving him a monetary prize, we packaged his product, and placed the winning product on the market shelves” Allen said.
Back at home, ingredients for all their products are grown in the north Georgia mountains, where sauces are cooked in small batches, bottled and stored. Having the manufacturer close by is an advantage, said Allen, as product freshness is vital to the company.
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