2013 2013PROFILES PROFILESOF OFSUCCESS SUCCESS ❱ ❱ JUNGLE JUNGLEHEAT HEATIMPORTS IMPORTS-HOT HOTSAUCE SAUCEEMPORIUM EMPORIUM
Sandy & Rich Whittington
JUNGLE HEAT IMPORTS 84 CHARING CROSS STREET BRANTFORD ONTARIO N3R 2H6 519.304.6660 www.jungleheatimports.com brantford@jungleheatimports.com
2013 PROFILES PAGE 34 ❰ OF SUCCESS
nd things have been heating up in Brantford since the opening of Jungle Heat Imports Hot Sauce Emporium in Sept. 2012. The taste buds of area residents have been tempted with not only Jungle Heat Imports’ own brand of sauces, but with a huge assortment of barbecue sauces, hot sauces, marinades, rubs, spices and much more. For owners Rich and Sandy Whittington, hot sauces have been fanning the flames of their success over the past nine months, winning them kudos among local residents and great respect in the industry. Rich and Sandy, along with their partners Ron and Adrienne, have accumulated 35 international awards for their Jungle Heat Gourmet Sauces after pitting them against some of the toughest competitions in the industry. Last October they expanded on their previous 11-category win at the Texas Scovie Awards to claim another 13 awards, including the grand prize. That earned them a spot at the Cajun Hot Sauce Festival in Louisiana, where they went up against 29 Grand Prize winners from competitions though out the States. Their Mango Heat Hot Sauce not only won first prize for best fruity hot sauce, but also walked away with the grand title of Champion of Champions. “Entering into competitions across the United States was one thing,” Rich said. “Winning has been something totally different. The Scovie Awards, The Zest Fest and the Cajun Champion
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of Champions are huge industry competitions with entries from all over the world, awarding titles to only the best of the best.” In addition to selling their award-winning products at Jungle Heat Imports, the couple attends numerous shows and events. “There is a lot to do between the store and doing trade shows,” Sandy said. “But we wouldn’t trade one minute. The whole experience has been so much fun that it doesn’t really feel like work.” While Jungle Heat Imports delivers the heat people are looking for, the sauces don’t overpower a dish. All of Jungle Heat Gourmet Sauces are gluten-free, low in sodium and low in sugar. Selections range from no heat to extreme and everything in between. “If we don’t have it, do you really need it?” Rich joked. People are able to sample the Jungle Heat Gourmet sauces in the uniquely decorated store that is designed to resemble the Costa Rican Rainforest where the sauces originated. The shop has been a labour of love for the couple because of their passion for the product. Jungle Heat Imports has adopted Tortuga School in the remote village of Ojochal, Costa Rica and are donating proceeds of their Original Hot Sauce sales to help the children of Tortuga School get school supplies. “We believe in paying it forward so we want to give back to our community,” Sandy said. ❱ 2013 PROFILES OF SUCCESS ❱ PAGE 5