Mike's Hot Honey

Mike's Hot Honey produces honey infused with chili peppers, positioning itself as an American hot honey brand. Its product line spans core hot honey and an "Extra Hot" variant, alongside apparel and gift sets sold through its direct-to-consumer online store.

Beyond bottled honey, the company licenses its brand for co-branded packaged foods and merchandise. Examples promoted on its site include Pillsbury Grands! biscuits, Garrett popcorn, Utz chips, Bush's beans, Montchevre goat cheese, ACME seafood, Hissho Sushi items using the Extra Hot variant, a Starter varsity jacket, and a limited-edition sneaker sold with a jar of honey. The company also markets to restaurant and foodservice operators, with the honey appearing on restaurant menus in applications such as pizza, crispy chicken, cheesesteaks, breakfast sandwiches, and movie-theater snacks, and publishes recipes for uses including chicken wings, breakfast sandwiches, and cocktails.

Founding story

The company was founded in 2010 by Mike Kurtz. The product began as a personal culinary experiment and gained attention when Kurtz drizzled his hot honey on pizzas at a Brooklyn pizzeria, including the Hellboy pizza at Paulie Gee's in Brooklyn; customers began asking to buy bottles to take home, spreading the product by word of mouth.

Business model

Sells chili-infused honey and branded merchandise directly to consumers through its e-commerce site, supplies restaurant and foodservice operators, and licenses its brand to food manufacturers and apparel partners for co-branded products.

Product sales through direct-to-consumer online orders, retail packaged goods, foodservice supply, and brand licensing/co-branded partnerships.

Traction

Available on restaurant menus nationwide and featured in co-branded products with partners including Pillsbury, Garrett Popcorn, Utz, Bush's, Montchevre, ACME, Hissho Sushi, Smithfield, and Starter.

Latest developments

Current promotions include Pillsbury Grands! Mike's Hot Honey biscuits in the refrigerated aisle, a Garrett popcorn collaboration, Utz chips, Bush's beans, Montchevre goat cheese, ACME seafood, Hissho Sushi rolls made with the Extra Hot variant, a Starter varsity jacket, a limited-edition Hot Honey Sport Lite sneaker, and a World Cup capsule apparel collection.