Intensity Academy Heats Up Taste Buds Nationally

Michele Northrup was digging in the garden at the Learning Gate Community School in Lutz, where her three children go to school, when she came up with the idea for the Intensity Academy.

The company that makes and sells all natural sauces was born.

Parents at the school were charged with taking home carrots, the vegetable of the week, and making them palatable to junior taste buds.

“We were supposed to come up with something completely unique that the students hadn’t tried before to get them to try vegetables,” said Northrup.

She came up with a Kickin’ Carrot Hot Sauce, and brought side dishes to pair the sauce with. Northrup said students and staff clambered for the sauce, and immediately suggested she sell it. Northrup shared the sauce with family and friends, too, who all had positive reviews.

It was a trip to the grocery store, however, that made her realize that her all natural sauce might contain the ingredient for success.

“I went up and down the aisles of the grocery store, and I noticed everything had high fructose corn syrup or preservatives,” said Northrup.  “I thought, 'Maybe I do need to do it.”'

Northrup had enough money for a single batch. So, she met with a chemist and a bottler.

“I said, it’s either going to work, or everybody I know is going to get hot sauce for Christmas," she quipped.

Less than four years later, the Intensity Academy has won a total of 52 national awards, and Northrup was named the 2010 Businesswoman of the Year for Manufacturing by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.  

Northrup’s sauce range has also widened to include ketchup (called chup), carrot and garlic based hot sauces, cocktail sauce and even sauces that are infused with chai tea.

Intensity Academy’s most recent awards were garnered in January at the Fiery Foods Challenge at the 2011 Zest Fest held at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas Four of Northrup’s sauces placed at the awards.

In an e-mail to Patch, Judy Magouirk Fuhrhop coordinator of Spicy Food’s Productions Fiery Foods Challenge, said that contest entrants compete in 95 different categories. Sauces are judged by 75 to 100 chefs, restaurateurs, food critics, manufacturers and past winners.

In addition to bragging rights, winners receive Golden Chile trophy, ribbons, posters, label stickers for the products that win and exposure. Company and product information is posted on the Zest Fest website for a year.

 Northrup is working on a cookbook to be released this spring that features recipes that work in conjuction with her creations. As Northrup’s brand continues to expand, she is able to grow professionally, as well as personally.

“My personality is very saucy already," said Northrup. "This brand, and the way I’ve been able to have fun with it … it’s made me become more of myself.”

Intensity Academy sauces are available at the Pak Mail, 13176 N. Dale Mabry Highway, and online at www.intensityacademy.com. Also, look for Intensity Academy condiments at Burger Monger.