It’s no secret Americans love using hot sauce to spice up their meals, but which fiery flavoring reigns supreme?
In honor of National Hot Sauce Day on Jan. 22, the folks at Instacart analyzed purchase data from the online grocery platform to reveal Americans’ hot sauce and chili sauce preferences. Looking at the U.S. as a whole, the top brands sold in the country between January and September of 2024 were Frank’s RedHot, Huy Fong Foods (makers of the iconic Sriracha), Cholula and Burman’s.
The Instacart report also dives into the state-by-state data, offering a breakdown of the most-ordered sauce brands in each of the 50 states. The company also revealed which states buy the highest and lowest volume of hot sauce per customer.
“National Hot Sauce Day gives us the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at this beloved condiment, and we found that hot sauce ― like many fridge and pantry staples ― is very closely tied to regional and cultural preferences,” Alex Orellana, Instacart’s trends analyst, told HuffPost. “So, as we zoomed in to look at the various types of hot sauces preferred by people in different states, it gave us a lens into what makes each state unique.”
Interestingly, Texas Pete was not the most popular choice in its namesake state, though it was the top pick in Virginia and the Carolinas. Instead, Louisiana Brand won out in the Lone Star State, as well as Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and of course, Louisiana.
Frank’s RedHot dominated in the majority of states ― 29 to be exact ― including Georgia, New York, Illinois and Washington.
“We found the distinct regional preferences fascinating, like Tapatio’s popularity in California or Hawaii’s affinity for Tabasco, which are not seen in other states,” Orellana said. “This demonstrates that hot sauce preferences go beyond basic flavor profiles and are intertwined with local culture and foods. It’s intriguing to see how personal and regional identities influence the spices people choose to enhance their dishes.”
As for total hot sauce consumption per capita, the highest volume of purchases per customer was in New Mexico (with 31.9 ounces per customer), followed by Alaska (29.2 ounces per customer) and Colorado (27.2 ounces per customer). Apparently the people of Alabama, Arkansas and Florida are less inclined to add the condiment to their food, but that doesn’t mean things can’t change!
“We hope the report offers a glimpse into the diverse hot sauce culture across the U.S., and people can see their spicy preferences reflected in the data ― and perhaps they’ll be inspired to try a favorite from another region for a true taste test!” Orellana said.
For more information about the methodology and additional hot sauce insights, check out the full report on Instacart’s website.