Hidden Gems: Meet Lee Kitzis of Bad Seed Hot Sauce Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Kitzis.

Lee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
I used to work at the Cultural Center and Millennium Park in Chicago setting up and tearing down for events/concerts. I started tinkering with hot sauce recipes and bringing them into work for my coworkers. They were a big hit. One of my coworkers was like “Hey, you should sell this stuff.” I thought, “Well, maybe I should.” It started with a little rinky dink site online. Then, I sold my sauces at the Portage Park farmer’s market. I didn’t even have a tent. Just a small table, a folding chair and a rainbow umbrella I got from Walgreens. People must have thought I was crazy. Nonetheless, the reception was good. I started tinkering with more recipes and developed a small following. Shortly after my move to Marquette roughly seven years ago, I started getting “street legal.” Dotting my I’s and crossing my Ts with the Department of Ag and FDA. I started selling at the Marquette Farmer’s Market. It was a big success. I’ve been selling there for the last 3 years and in Michigan retail locations. My sauces are also on the menu at restaurants and eateries. Been building my brand, and it’s been a fun ride. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wish I could say having your own hot sauce business involves doing nothing but making hot sauce. Unfortunately, that is not the case. There’s paperwork on the state and federal level obviously. There’s also budgeting. If those last two sentences have bored, you then case in point. You don’t have a lot of wiggle room when you have a small business. I think it’s a pretty common challenge for small producers. Offering the best quality product at a fair price and still making a living. Hopefully one day we’re all operating on the bartering system, and I can trade my sauce for beautiful art, clothes, produce, etc. But until that day, we’re ruled by these green meaningless pieces of paper, and I gotta try to make it work. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I produce fresh chile hot sauces. Three in the line right now: Green Steam (jalapeno, serrano, Hungarian hot), Beelzeburn (habanero), Scotch Rocket (Carolina reaper, scotch bonnet, roasted garlic). My company started out of a passion for chile peppers. I’m fascinated by their history and application. When I’m not tinkering with them, I’m reading about them. I grew up in a culinary family and have been working in the restaurant/food service industry for over 12 years. I’ve taken the knowledge and ethos I’ve acquired from my experience and applied that to my sauce. I take not only heat but balance of flavor very seriously. There are too many flat, gimmicky, overly vinegary sauces on the market, and that needs to change. 

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see nothing but growth. A major part of my fan base is Gen X/Millennial/Gen Z. That’s not to say older people don’t enjoy heat. But it’s certainly trending in the direction of a younger fan base using hot sauce as an everyday condiment. It’s exciting to see. 

Pricing:

• Green Steam 7.99
• Beelzeburn 7.99
• Scotch Rocket 12.99

Contact Info:

• Website: badseedhotsauce.com
• Instagram: @bad_seed_hot_sauce