It's the 30th Fiery Food Challenge
The FFC is the longest running, most prestigious blind tasting competition in the fiery food industry and attracts entries from companies around the globe. On Friday Evening, May 29, 2026 ZestFest will host an Award Dinner to announce the winners in the 2026 edition.
(You do not have to be in attendance to win but it's a great photo op for winners and you will be ready to sell your products Saturday and Sunday at ZestFest)
"Fiery Food Challenge 30th" - 2026 Theme Song for the Fiery Food Challenge with Blind Taste Testing so you can really trust the results as we discover the best of the best.
The Fiery Food Challenge 30th Anniversary WINNERS LIST – Celebrating 30 Years of the Best in Heat and Flavor
| Division | Category | Place | Company | Product |
| Barbecue Sauce, Spices, Cooking Sauces | Barbecue Sauce Exotic | 1 | Gator Hammock | Tropic Gator |
| 2 | Stewe Pepper's | BBQ Carib | ||
| 3 | BBQ'n Fools, LLC | BBQ'n Fools Teriyaki Sauce | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Fruit | 1 | Papa Pope's BBQ Sauce | Peach Habanero Grilling Sauce | |
| 2 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | Not Your Mama's Pineapple Fatali | ||
| 3 | Gator Hammock | Tropic Gator | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Mustard Based | 1 | Papa Pope's BBQ Sauce | Southern Gold BBQ Sauce | |
| 2 | Scott's Smoked Q | Carolina Gold | ||
| 3 | Gator Hammock | Guava Mustard | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Vinegar based | 1 | Old Dog Sauce & Spice | Sweet Caroline | |
| 2 | Gator Hammock | Gator Sauce | ||
| 3 | Chili-Werkstatt | Chilika | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Smoky | 1 | Gator Hammock | Cooter Wallow | |
| 2 | Stewe Pepper's | BBQ Velvet | ||
| 3 | Hellfire Hot Suace | Chili Masters Private Reserve | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Mild | 1 | RJC Legacy Foods LLC | Pig In! Pig Out! Original BBQ Sauce | |
| 2 | Torcatha BBQ Sauce | Torcatha BBQ Sauce - Cullach Beag | ||
| 3 | Old Bones Chilli Co | Spiced Chilli BBQ | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Medium | 1 | Papa Pope's BBQ Sauce | Chipotle BBQ Sauce | |
| 2 | Torcatha BBQ Sauce | Torcatha BBQ Sauce- Original | ||
| 3 | Gator Hammock | Hog Wallow | ||
| Barbecue Sauce Hot/X-Hot | 1 | RJC Legacy Foods LLC | Pig In! Pig Out! Hot BBQ Sauce | |
| 2 | Torcatha BBQ Sauce | Torcatha BBQ Sauce- Spiosrach | ||
| 3 | Papa Pope's BBQ Sauce | Ghost Pepper BBQ Sauce | ||
| Cooking Sauce | 1 | BBQ'n Fools, LLC | Spicy Teriyaki Pepper Sauce | |
| 2 | Zwita | Shakshuka (Zucchini & Potato) | ||
| 3 | Zwita | Shakshuka (Eggplant & Sweet Potato) | ||
| Pasta Sauce | 1 | Aiello Italian Specialties | Nonna Mariantonia | |
| 2 | Spotted Horse Provisions | Spicy and Smoky Tomato Sauce | ||
| 3 | Paradigm | Toma No Sauce | ||
| Seasoned Salt | 1 | Sump'n Sump'n | Sump'n Sump'n Carolina Reaper | |
| 2 | Gator Hammock | Gator Sprinkle | ||
| 3 | BBQ'n Fools, LLC | Grant's Blend Magic Dust | ||
| Seasoning/Rub Beef | 1 | PT Originals LLC | PT Deadly's Radical Reaper Rub | |
| 2 | Cajun Legacy Seasoning | Latin Heat | ||
| 3 | BBQ'n Fools, LLC | BBQ'n Fool Steak Seasoning/Rub | ||
| Seasoning/Rub Fruit & Vegetable | 1 | Karma Sauce | Sabroso | |
| 2 | Vespa's 7 Spice Mix | Mild | ||
| 3 | Wing-A-Lings Dry Rubs & Seasoning | Buck Shot Dry | ||
| Seasoning/Rub Fowl | 1 | Cowboy Spice Company | Black Cherry Volcano Seasoning | |
| 2 | Cajun Legacy Seasoning | Island Heat | ||
| 3 | BBQ'n Fools, LLC | Signature Seasoning | ||
| Seasoning/Rub Seafood | 1 | Old Dog Sauce & Spice | All Purpose Seasoning | |
| 2 | BBQ'n Fools, LLC | Chipotle Lime Dry Rub | ||
| 3 | Scott's Smoked Q | Chesapeake | ||
| Table Seasoning | 1 | Sump'n Sump'n | Sump'n Sump'n Carolina Reaper | |
| 2 | Scott's Smoked Q | Classic | ||
| 3 | PT Originals LLC | PT Deadly's Evil Streak | ||
| Wing Sauce Mild | 1 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | Baby Buffalo | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | B8 | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Cosmic Dumpling | ||
| Wing Sauce Medium | 1 | Karma Sauce | Iron Smoke Old Fashioned | |
| 2 | Gator Hammock | Gator Sauce | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | B8 | ||
| Wing Sauce Hot | 1 | Karma Sauce | Scorpion Disco | |
| 2 | Gator Hammock | Tropic Gator | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Mesa Roja | ||
| Wing Sauce X-Hot | 1 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | Buffalo Hell | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | Cosmic Disco | ||
| 3 | Gator Hammock | Suicide Gator | ||
| Wing Sauce Ultra Hot | 1 | Karma Sauce | Funken Hot Yellow Moruga | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | Burn After Eating | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Ashes*2*Ashes | ||
|
Best Barbecue Sauce, Spices, Cooking Sauce
|
RJC Legacy Foods LLC | Pig In! Pig Out! Original BBQ Sauce | ||
| Condiments | Asian | 1 | Danielle's Sauces | Danielle's Sauce Sweet Chili |
| 2 | Bob's Spicy World | Sriracha Dragon | ||
| 3 | Danielle's Sauces | Danielle's Sauces Chiliyaki | ||
| Exotic | 1 | Karma Sauce | Cosmic Dumpling | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | Hole Mole | ||
| 3 | Chili-Werkstatt | Schmarf Sein Du Musst | ||
| Honey Products | 1 | Chingon Squeezins | Texas Fire & Fang Hot Honey | |
| 2 | Old Bones Chilli Co | Spicy Honey | ||
| 3 | Gilded Hive Honey Co | The Queen is in Heat | ||
| Jam/Jelly | 1 | Brenham Kitchens | Peach Habanero Salsa | |
| 2 | Lone Star Pepper Co | Smokin Cherry Jam | ||
| 3 | Spotted Horse Provisions | Devilishly Jersey Spicy Cranberry Jam | ||
| Ketchup/Cocktail Sauce | 1 | Stewe Pepper's | Spicy Smoked Ketchup | |
| 2 | SpiceItUp | Jalapeno Ketchup (Mild) | ||
| 3 | SpiceItUp | Jalapeno Ketchup (Hot) | ||
| Latin | 1 | Karma Sauce | Mesa Roja | |
| 2 | Villian Sauce Co | Six Shooter Sunrise | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | It's Tuesday Somewhere | ||
| Mustard | 1 | The Gnarly Sauce Company | Gnarly Gold | |
| 2 | Rayes Mustard | Hot Off The Stones | ||
| 3 | OLCHILI | Fish Finish Scandinavian Dip Mustard | ||
| Pickled Products | 1 | Point Blank Pepper Co. | Cukelear Weapons | |
| 2 | Point Blank Pepper Co. | Smoke Rings | ||
| 3 | Stewe Pepper's | Chili Chalamade | ||
| Steak Sauce | 1 | Karma Sauce | Hole Mole | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | Mesa Roja | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Lift Off | ||
| Sweets | 1 | Brenham Kitchens | Bourbon Vanilla Praline Sauce | |
| 2 | Chuckwagon Nutcakes | Mustang Spicy Pineapple Squares | ||
| 3 | Eastern Sweets | Sweet Heat Drizzln' Sauce | ||
| General | 1 | Brenham Kitchens | Garlic Pistachios | |
| 2 | Bob's Spicy World | White Dragon Special Reserve | ||
| 3 | Zwita | Grandma Style Harissa (Spicy) | ||
| Best Condiment | The Gnarly Sauce Company | Gnarly Gold | ||
| Hot Sauce | American Style | 1 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | 5-Pepper Sriracha |
| 2 | Villian Sauce Co | Bad Guy Sauce | ||
| 3 | Honomy Goat Dairy | Dill-Lightfully Fresh | ||
| Caribbean Style | 1 | Karma Sauce | Ghost Island | |
| 2 | Cayman Peppa Sauce | Real Duppy | ||
| 3 | Ville's Jamacian Hott Pepper Sauce | Ville's Jamacian Hott Pepper Sauce | ||
| Exotic | 1 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | Not Your Mama's Pineapple Fatali | |
| 2 | Los Diablitos Corp. | Clandestina | ||
| 3 | Cayman Peppa Sauce | Frigate Hot | ||
| Asian Style | 1 | Danielle's Sauces | Danielle's Sauces Sweet Scorpion | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | Cosmic Dumpling | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Lift Off | ||
| Latin Style | 1 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | 5-Peppers Sriracha | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | Mesa Roja | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Ghost Island | ||
| Verde/Tomatillo | 1 | Bob's Spicy World | Green Dragon | |
| 2 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | Devil's Blend Roasted Reaper | ||
| 3 | Karma Sauce | Lift Off | ||
| Smoky | 1 | Karma Sauce | Mesa Roja | |
| 2 | OL' Gringo Chile Co | Chuckwagon Chipotle | ||
| 3 | Bob's Spicy World | Golden Dragon | ||
| Mild | 1 | Karma Sauce | Cosmic Dumpling | |
| 2 | Karma Sauce | B8 | ||
| 3 | Los Diablitos Corp. | Clandestina | ||
| Medium | 1 | Cowboy Spice Company |
Peachy Hot Mess - Peach Habanero Hot Sauce
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| 2 | Villian Sauce Co | Slither | ||
| 3 | Heat Hot Sauce Shop | Roasted Habanero & Garlic | ||
| Hot | 1 | Divine Peppers LLC | Dynamite - Trinidad Scorpion | |
| 2 | Cowboy Spice Company |
Pineapple Lava Luau - Pineappple Habanero Hot Sauce
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| 3 | Karma Sauce | Ghost Island | ||
| X-Hot | 1 | The Gnarly Sauce Company | Pedro's Fury | |
| 2 | Funky's Hot Sauce Factory | Space Madness | ||
| 3 | Hellfire Hot Sauce | 5-Pepper Sriracha | ||
| Ultra Hot | 1 | Karma Sauce | Scorpion Disco | |
| 2 | Old City Fire Hot Sauce | Viking Funeral | ||
| 3 | OL' Gringo Chile Co | X-Terminator (Scorpion Strain) | ||
| Best Hot Sauce | The Gnarly Sauce Company | Pedro's Fury | ||
| Salsa | Regular | 1 | Brenham Kitchens | Peach Habanero Salsa |
| 2 | Paradigm Creations | Chi Salsa | ||
| 3 | Jimmy's Hatch Pepper Salsa | Medium | ||
| Exotic/Fruit | 1 | Twisted Texas Foods LLC | Twisted Twister Ghost Hatch | |
| 2 | TEXUELA SALSA | TEXUELA SALSA EXTRA HOT | ||
| 3 | Jimmy's Hatch Pepper Salsa | Medium | ||
| Best Salsa | Brenham Kitchens | Peach Habanero Salsa | ||
| Marketing | Company Logo | 1 | Los Diablitos Corp | Chile Fiesta de Diablitos |
| Product Label | 1 | Anzler's Foods | Peppion Hot Sauce | |
| Promotional Items | 1 | Karma Sauce | Karma Sauce Basting Brush | |
| Wearable Itme | 1 | Torcatha BBQ Sauce |
The Battle Boar BBQ Department - Thin Red Line Hat
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| Best New Product | 1 | Texas Select Seasonings | Apple Peach Habanero BBQ Glaze | |
| 2 | Torcatha BBQ Sauce | Torcatha BBQ Sauce - Cullach Beag | ||
| 3 | Point Blank Pepper Co. | Cukelear Weapons | ||
| Best In Show | RJC Legacy Foods LLC | Pig In! Pig Out! Original BBQ Sauce | ||
SPICY FOOD PRODUCTIONS is pleased to welcome back “CaJohn” Hard as the “Senior Product Consultant” in the Fiery Food Challenge.
CaJohn’s product knowledge takes the FFC to a new level of excellence. CaJohn and the ZestFest team ensure that all products entered in the Challenge have been placed in the correct category and follow the guidelines of the competition’s rules.
CaJohn has won over 400 awards in National, International, and Regional competitions; 79 Golden Chiles, and over 100 other Fiery Food Challenge awards.
Have a question for CaJohn about your product? Email him at cajohn@fieryflavor.com
