Fiery Foods 2026: A Month Later, Still Feeling the Heat

@harmacyhotsauce A month ago: Albuquerque for Fiery Foods, the biggest hot sauce show in the country. Uncomfortable airbnb couch ✅ Casino security kicking me off the loading dock ✅ Catching up with vendor friends ✅ Working the show with my mom ✅ Good food and even better people ✅ Regrets ❌ #fieryfoods #hotsauce #smallbusiness #abq #tradeshow ♬ [Live recording] Record playback noise 04 (5 minutes) - Icy Light

It's hard to believe the National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show was almost a month ago. Time moves fast when you're bouncing between events, recipe development, and keeping up with production. But I wanted to take a minute to reflect on the trip and share some behind-the-scenes moments from one of the biggest hot sauce expos in the country.

Getting There

I flew into Albuquerque, grabbed the keys to a cozy little casita (complete with a supremely uncomfortable pull-out couch; you win some, you lose some), and got ready to hit the ground running. The show is held yearly at the Sandia Resort & Casino, and I've learned over the years to build in an extra day just to handle any hiccups during setup.

Turns out, one of those hiccups was not being able to film on the loading dock. Casino grounds, totally understandable. But it meant I had to get creative with how I captured the prep work. All good. Once we were inside the show floor, we were clear to roll.

The Yearly Tradition

Every year, my mom joins me for Fiery Foods, and it's become one of my favorite parts of the whole experience. Not only is it great to spend time with her, but she's been an entrepreneur herself. Her perspective and experience are invaluable, especially when navigating the chaos of a trade show.

We grabbed breakfast together before the doors opened, fueled up at some incredible local ABQ spots throughout the weekend, and worked the booth side by side. It's a trip I look forward to every year.

The Community

One of the things that makes Fiery Foods special is the people. I see some of these vendors more than I see my own family. At least once a year, sometimes more, we're crossing paths at shows all over the country.

In most industries, we'd be fierce competitors. But in the hot sauce world? We're friends. We're all out here grinding, building something for ourselves, and we're doing it together. It's an honor to be colleagues with such a wide variety of people who all share that same spark; the drive to create something meaningful.

At Fiery Foods, you're guaranteed to run into good folks, catch up with old friends, and maybe even meet a legend or two.

Live Feedback

With Fiery Foods being one of the largest hot sauce expos in the country, it's a prime opportunity to showcase what we've been working on over the winter months. I brought some new sauces and special projects to test, and getting live feedback from customers and vendors alike was incredibly valuable.

There's no better focus group than people who genuinely love hot sauce and aren't afraid to tell you what they think.

Fueling Up

Long days on your feet mean you need to eat well, and Albuquerque delivers. We made sure to hit some of the best local restaurants in the form of El Modelo, Monte Carlo Steakhouse, and Creme de la Creme in Sawmill Market. Good food, good company, and the kind of meals that remind you why you love what you do.

On to the Next One

All good things must come to an end. Before I knew it, I was hopping on a plane to the next adventure.

Wait... didn't I drive there?

If you want to see the full recap, check out the video. And if you've ever worked a trade show, you know the struggle of an uncomfortable pull-out couch is real.

Thanks for following along. More to come.

-Homero