Our Story

Pip's Hot Sauce came about pretty spontaneously during a lunch break. Pip and her partner Matt were having pizza, but Pip kept complaining about the lack of hot chilli sauce. To get her to stop moaning, Matt handed her a notepad and told her to write down what her perfect hot sauce would include.

Pip took the task seriously and started jotting down all the ingredients and flavours she thought would make a killer spicy hot sauce. This little exercise was supposed to keep her busy, but it sparked a bigger idea. With Pip's vision on paper, they decided to give it a shot and make it for real.

They started experimenting in the kitchen, tweaking and testing different recipes until they hit the jackpot. What began as a way to shut Pip up turned into something much bigger. Pip's Hot Sauce was born, bringing the perfect blend of flavours Pip had dreamed up to the tables of hot chilli sauce lovers everywhere.

 

The Birth of La Boca del Diablo

After Pip and Matt whipped up their first hot sauce recipe, their Portuguese friend Debbie tasted it and named it La Boca del Diablo because of its fiery chilli kick. They knew they had something special, but they needed a good brand name.

While they were working on the label design with another friend, he saw the potential in their chilli hot sauce. He figured they were onto something great and that more recipes would follow. So, he took it upon himself to name the brand Pip's Hot Sauce, thinking it would honour Pip's idea and set the stage for their future sauces.

The name stuck, and Pip's Hot Sauce was born. It was the perfect way to represent not just their first creation but the many more delicious and unique hot sauces they planned to develop.

Our Journey

Pip's Hot Sauces started off with just one spicy chilli creation: La Boca del Diablo. Pip and Matt nailed the recipe, and their friends loved it. Encouraged by the positive feedback, they started experimenting and came up with more delicious flavours.

Their big break came in a pretty funny way. While eating at The Plough, one of Birmingham's best foodie pubs, Matt and Pip were caught using their own hot sauce. Instead of being annoyed, the pub's management was intrigued and decided to try it. They loved it and became Pip's Hot Sauces' first customer. That was a huge moment for Pip and Matt.

As word spread, they began collaborating with local businesses and artists. They teamed up with Provide and the artist Fokawolf to create their Cure for Life sauce, with Fokawolf given free rein on the label design.

Then came another exciting project: partnering with Attic Brew Co. to make their first-ever fermented hot chilli sauce. This collaboration blended the worlds of craft brewing and hot sauce, resulting in a unique and flavorful sauce that stood out.

One of their most memorable projects was creating a totally black hot sauce for Home of Metal, celebrating Birmingham as the birthplace of heavy metal. This special edition sauce was a hit and showcased their creativity.

Recognition and Awards

From the success of La Boca del Diablo to a growing lineup of inventive flavours, Pip's Hot Sauces has become a beloved local brand. Pip and Matt keep experimenting and collaborating, always looking for new ways to bring the heat.

Pip's Hot Sauces has earned some pretty cool awards over the years. They've won seven Great Taste Awards, proving their hot sauces are top-notch. Each award showed just how unique and flavourful their chilli sauces are.

They also picked up a Muddy Stilettos award, which highlights the best local businesses, and even won the BBC Good Food Show Bursary Award, giving them a big pat on the back for all their hard work and passion.

Independent Birmingham called them "a legend of Brum's indie scene." This praise from a well-known local group shows just how much Pip's Hot Sauces has impacted Birmingham's food scene.

From winning awards to getting love from the community, Pip's Hot Sauces has made a name for itself. Pip and Matt keep pushing the envelope, always coming up with new and exciting hot sauces.

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About Pip & Matt

Way back in the mists of time, Pip and Matt met at sixth-form college. They quickly hit it off, bonding over their shared love of obscure psychedelic music and their knack for getting into all sorts of playful trouble.

Life eventually took them on different paths, and they drifted apart, each doing their own share of growing up and adulting. But when they reconnected years later, they realised their bond was stronger than just friendship—there was something truly magical there.

Matt, with his 30 years of experience in hospitality and belief in Pip's talent, was the one who nudged her to turn her hot sauce ideas into reality. He encouraged her to take those fiery thoughts from her head and put them into a bottle, which is how Pip's Hot Sauce was born.

Their story is one of lasting friendship, serendipity, and the magic that happens when you blend passions. Together, Pip and Matt have created something special, spicing up the world one bottle of hot sauce at a time.