Fredericksburg Hot Sauce Company Wins 2 International Awards

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Always Flavored, a Fredericksburg hot sauce company won a pair of second place medals at an international competition last month. The company received recognition at the Scovie Awards for its sweet BBQ sauce and its mild hot sauce.

The 2023 Scovie Awards were held in New Mexico in January, featuring sauces from 151 companies across 37 states and 12 countries.

Rita Witte is the owner and founder of Always Flavored.

"We couldn’t be more excited that our products were recognized and appreciated at such a national and international level,” Witte said. “It is gratifying and pleasing to know our sauces keep tantalizing and dazzling the taste buds of even some of the toughest food critics.”

Judging for the Scovie Awards is not open to the public. A panel of more than 80 culinary experts voted on the sauces for this year's awards.

Always Flavored's award-winning sauces, the Sweet Virginia Love BBQ Sauce and Ritabeata’s Mild Hot Sauce, are now available at their bistro on Princess Anne Street in Fredericksburg.

"Sweet Virginia Love BBQ Sauce is a perfect balance of sweet and savory; this delicious sauce adds an explosion of tangy and sweet flavor to just about any meat," the company told Patch. "Ritabeata’s Mild Hot Sauce is a fermented sauce that will make your mouth water in anticipation of its flavor! It is just spicy enough add a kick to your dish without overpowering it."

Witte said her busy began by accident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her family started gardening and grew more peppers than they needed.

Witte took the surplus of peppers as inspiration to start crafting her own sauces and partnering with local businesses.

More information about Always Flavored is available on the company's website.