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With another season of being featured on under their belts, Shaun Goodwin (Mktg’13) and new marketing director and co-owner Michael Goodwin (Jour’11) share how virality has grown their hot sauce business, Sauce Leopard, bringing broader reach and exciting ��ñ���� collaborations. A spin on traditional celebrity interviews, Hot Ones is only growing in popularity, with millions tuning in. A spot on the lineup means growing exposure, catapulting Sauce Leopard’s award-winning hot sauce brand to new (and hotter) heights.��

Hot sauce and pop culture fans alike can check out Sauce Leopard’s newest sauce, Homegrown Hell, in the First featured in the show’s hot sauce lineup in 2022, the exposure prompted a shift toward larger-scale production, paving the way for future growth.��

“[Sauce Leopard] walked away, realizing we could capitalize on the exposure a bit more if we were featured again,” said Shaun Goodwin. “We were much better prepared to use it as leverage in other areas of our business once this latest season aired.”����

Translating exposure into business operations has been both exciting and challenging. From supply chain developments to expanded distribution and entry into the food service sector, Sauce Leopard now has eight distributors. Buffs can find their hot sauce at their , including at some iconic food spots on campus, more easily than ever.����

The only ���� hot sauce on the market was an immediate hit, especially because it was an alumni-owned small business.����

“We knew the sauce color should align with CU’s school colors, so we went with a unique spin on a yellow/gold mango habanero sauce,” said Goodwin. “While very mango-forward, it has notes of garlic, turmeric, banana and pineapple. We wanted to deliver a versatile, medium-heat sauce that was fit for barbecues on The Hill, quick meals in the dorm or football game tailgates.”����

Buffs can find the sauce online and on campus at the Farrand, Kittredge, Village and Sewall Markets.����

Seeing their products on the shelves at CU is an achievement that seemed daunting when Goodwin first founded the company.��

“The packaged food industry wasn’t even on my radar when I was in school; it seemed unattainable and completely controlled by massive corporations (which isn’t entirely untrue), but a consumer movement shifting back towards health-conscious, craft food brands has given companies like us a fighting chance,” said Goodwin. “We’re so grateful that the university is supporting us on our journey.”��

If you have other exciting ideas, the Sauce Leopard team would love to hear them in their Forever Buffs Community. You can reach out to hello@sauceleopard.com with any questions, partnership ideas or just say hello.������

So, Forever Buffs, do you think you can take the heat? Use the code BUFFS20 for 20%.��

Want to share your alumni-owned business? Share it in the Forever Buffs Directory: