Tapatío hot sauce
Tapatío is an American hot sauce produced in Vernon, California. It is popular in the United States, predominantly among Mexican-American communities.
History
The recipe for the hot sauce was created by the wife of Jose-Luis Saavedra Sr., who decided to sell it after losing his job. The Tapatío Hot Sauce company was started in 1971 in a warehouse in Maywood, California. It launched under the name Cuervo, as Saavedra's wife was a relative of the Jose Cuervo family, but the Cuervo family did not allow the trademarked use of their name. The Tapatío name was finally adopted in 1975.In 1985, the company moved to an facility in Vernon, California, from Downtown Los Angeles. Although larger than the first location, the new factory had a single loading dock and limited storage space, which created a new series of problems for the company. After a long search, a site was found for a developer to custom-build a new facility.
In 2014, the brand was the centerpiece of an exhibit, L.A. Heat, at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles. Tapatío Ramen was introduced in 2018. In 2021, to celebrate the brand's 50th anniversary, they collaborated with Gabriel Iglesias for a special edition of the hot sauce Tapatio X Fluffy. By 2021, the company was bottling 200K units a day, with exports to 30 countries. A special format was developed for the US military.
In January 2026, the Saavedra family sold Tapatío Hot Sauce to the private equity firm Highlander Partners, but retained a minority stake.
Activities
The ingredients listed on the product label are water, red peppers, salt, spices, garlic, acetic acid, xanthan gum and sodium benzoate as a preservative. Tapatío comes in five sizes: 5, 10, and 32 U.S. fluid ounces and, as well as in 1⁄4-ounce packets. The sauce overall has a Scoville heat scale rating of 3,000, hotter than Sriracha.Tapatío launched cross-brand products such as Tapatío-flavored Doritos, Ruffles, Fritos, Budweiser, and HipDot.
"Tapatio" is a term used to describe someone from Guadalajara, Jalisco, from where the company's founders emigrated. The product slogan is "Es una salsa... Muy salsa!".
A bottle of Tapatío hot sauce is on display at the Smithsonian Institution.