For over 150 years Tabasco’s famous red pepper sauce has come entirely from one place: Avery Island, a small area of land surrounded by bayous in southern Louisiana. Tabasco’s founder Edmund McIlhenny made the first batch of sauce on Avery Island and the company has stayed in family control ever since. (Every single CEO has been a descendent of McIlhenny.)
Nowadays, hot sauce is everywhere; and although Tabasco is seen as a fixture in the industry it’s important to remember that when Tabasco was created the Buffalo wing was still over 100 years away. Hot sauce just wasn’t a thing back then, but Tabasco really revolutionized America’s idea of standardization, manufacturing, and distribution; and laid the foundation for this entire movement that’s finally happening now. So while hot sauces may come and go it’s clear that Tabasco has staying power.
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