Top 10 Best-Selling Zesty Snacks & Sweets for 2013

Do you enjoy hot & spicy snacks? Then the following list is for you! These are the top ten best-selling zesty, spicy snacks & candy at the Carolina Sauce Company for 2013. They're all currently on sale -- and if you join our VIP Club you get a coupon for an additional 5% off the sale price -- so now's the time to give one or more of them a try.

1. Blair's Death Rain Habanero Potato Chips are deluxe kettle-cooked potato chips dusted with fiery ground habanero pepper powder for a super-spicy, slightly smoky, richly savory and crispy-crunchy snack. These hot potato chips were our most popular zesty snack last year, and unlike store brands they're all-natural and MSG-free.

2. Ass Kickin' Habanero Popcorn is a southwestern-inspired microwave popcorn with a peppery kick and irresistibly good flavor (unlike other hot microwave popcorn brands, which shall remain nameless). Spice up your weekly family movie night or your next game-watching get-together with this fiery popcorn, but whatever you do, don't forget the cold beverages!

3. Blair's Death Rain Jolokia Potato Chips are probably the world's hottest potato chips. Premium potatoes are sliced, kettle-cooked and seasoned with all-natural ingredients (no MSG here) including a generous sprinkling of ground dried jolokia peppers (aka ghost peppers) for an intense heat that's complemented by savory spices including garlic and paprika. Try them if you dare, but be careful because these babies are HOT and surprisingly addictive.

4. Crazy Jerry's Lizard Eyes Habanero Stuffed Olives are the ultimate zesty garnish for martinis, relish trays, pickle dishes, salads, sandwiches and any other setting where you'd normally find pimento-stuffed olives. Plump, tender olives are stuffed with sliced habanero peppers for an unforgettably hot and undeniably tasty snack.

5. Crazy Jerry's Hot 'N' Chile Cheese Dip is the perfect accompaniment for tortilla chips when you're craving some spicy queso dip or peppery cheese sauce. Specially selected cheeses are blended together with diced jalapenos, sweet bell peppers and roasted chilies along with savory seasonings like garlic, onions and tomatoes, for a rich, satisfying flavor. Whether you're dipping chips or crunchy raw veggies like carrot sticks or celery, Crazy Jerry's Chili Cheese Dip is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at home or at tailgate parties and cookouts.

6. Deano's Ranch Jalapeno Chips are a favorite among low-carb snackers because the chips are thinly sliced, crisp-cooked jalapeno peppers instead of the usual potatoes or corn. Pleasantly peppery with cool, tangy Ranch seasoning to complement the jalapeno heat, this zesty snack will satisfy your craving for crunchy chips without ruining your low-carb lifestyle.

7. Ass Kickin' Habanero Jelly Beans look like ordinary jelly beans, but be warned: they're not for kids or anyone with a delicate palate. These jelly beans are spiked with habaneros, but you won't realize it until a few seconds after popping one in your mouth, and then.... POW! If you keep a candy jar on your desk at work and want to stop stealthy candy thieves from eating your goodies when you're not looking, simply fill the jar with these innocuous-looking habanero jelly beans, but don't tell anyone. Problem solved!

8. Ass Kickin' BBQ Popcorn is gourmet style microwave popcorn that's been seasoned with tangy-sweet barbecue sauce flavor for a tempting whole-grain snack the whole family (and all your friends) will love. Mild on the heat scale but at the top of the yumminess chart, be sure to keep your pantry stocked with this BBQ popcorn so that you'll always be ready for movie or game night, or a weekend marathon of your favorite TV show, or late-night study sessions, or long workdays at the office, etc.

9. Bone Suckin' Beef Jerky is all-natural, American beef that's been dried into jerky and flavored with the same all-natural ingredients that have made Bone Suckin' Sauce the most popular BBQ sauce made in North Carolina. This high-protein snack is a favorite of athletes, hikers, paleo followers and carnivores in general.

10. TIE Blair's Death Rain Buffalo Wing Potato Chips and Wasabi Bombs Peanuts: Crispy, crunchy potato chips are seasoned with tangy, peppery Buffalo wing sauce flavorings for a delightfully unique, medium-spicy snack. Dip them in ranch dressing or bleu cheese sauce for a wing-lover's satisfying snack without the mess of eating chicken wings. On the other hand, if sinus-clearing horseradish or wasabi are more your style, then Wasabi Bombs are for you. Plump, premium peanuts are coated with potent wasabi powder for a powerful horseradish punch that won't disappoint.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Zesty Snacks & Sweets for 2012

If you're looking for some crowd-pleasing snacks to serve for the big game, look no further than our list of 2012's best-selling snacks at the Carolina Sauce Company. There's a little bit of everything on this list, from fiery popcorn & potato chips to BBQ beef jerky, sweet & spicy candy, and feisty pickled snacks.

1. Ass Kickin' Habanero Popcorn: This seasoned microwave popcorn is spiced with real ground habanero pepper powder for a fiery hot burn and savory Southwestern flavor. You'll want your cold beverage handy when snacking on this popcorn.

2. Dave's Insanity Popcorn: One of our best-selling snacks of all time, this is quite possibly the hottest popcorn on earth. It'll blow away your taste buds if you're not careful. Its flavor is slightly exotic, almost like curry, and the burn is unforgiving. Keep the milk nearby in case you need to put out the fire in your mouth.

3. Blair's Death Rain Habanero Potato Chips: Seriously fiery but surprisingly flavorful, these all-natural kettle-cooked potato chips are intensely hot but quite tasty. Just the right amount of paprika, garlic, other spices and natural smoke flavor make them irresistible to fans of fiery foods.

4. Ass Kickin' Jelly Beans: Don't let their sweet and innocent appearance fool you -- inside each jelly bean lurks a hot & spicy center that suddenly strikes after a couple of seconds. If you have a candy thief in your office or workplace, pour these in an unlabeled jar and your problem will disappear (unless, of course, your thief happens to be a chilehead).

5. Crazy Jerry's Lizard Eyes Habanero Stuffed Olives: Instead of the traditional mild pimiento filling, these plump and meaty olives are stuffed with sliced habanero peppers, making them HOT. Whether you munch on them out of the jar, plop them in your martini, chop and add to salads or sandwiches, or serve on a pickle tray, these spicy-hot olives pack a powerful wallop.

6. Blair's Death Rain Chipotle Potato Chips: Milder in heat than the habanero chips and with that unmistakable smoky chipotle flavor, these kettle-cooked potato chips deliver mouthwatering flavor with a peppery kick. Serve with your favorite cool dips, or with sandwiches, Mexican, Tex-Mex or southwestern foods.

7. Tabasco Cinnamon Candy: These unique little cinnamon-flavored red gems are sweet like ordinary candy but with an intense, spicy-hot cinnamon taste. Keep them away from little kids, pets, and anyone who doesn't like the powerful zip of cinnamon.

8. Bone Suckin' Beef Jerky: This all-American, all-natural beef jerky has that deliciously sweet & tangy barbecue flavor that keeps you coming back for more. They finish with just a little bit of a peppery kick, making them feisty rather than fiery. It's the perfect low-carb, high-protein, gluten-free snack.

9. Ass Kickin' Pistachios: Meaty, premium pistachios are roasted and salted, then seasoned with a generous sprinkling of fiery habanero powder and other ground chiles for serious fiery heat and palate-pleasing savory flavor. A pleasant alternative to spicy peanuts, and a favorite of pistachio addicts who also like hot & spicy foods.

10. Crazy Jerry's Boot Scootin' Garlic Mushrooms: These sassy pickled button mushrooms get their perky medium kick from jalapeno peppers, and pungent garlic provides zesty flavor. They're marinaded in red wine vinegar for a richer, mellower flavor than white-vinegar pickles. Delicious on a snack tray, sliced for salads & sandwiches, and even as a pizza topping.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: Browse our complete selection of spicy snacks for more options, including more popcorn flavors, a variety of seasoned peanuts, and more.

Marie Sharp's Pepper Jellies & Orange Jelly

Green Habanero Pepper Jelly

Pepper jellies, both of the mild-sweet variety and the spicy-sweet variety, are popular old-fashioned condiments sold in many country stores in the South. Often served to accompany roast beef, lamb, grilled pork chops, baked chicken and other robust meats and poultry, pepper jelly (especially the hotter variety) is also blended with softened cream cheese and served with crackers as a simple but full-flavored snack. The cream cheese helps temper the peppery fire of hot peppers and also makes the snack more filling. But even without the cream cheese, most of the hot pepper jelly that hails from the southeastern US is of the "gentler" variety, with a heat level that those from the American Southwest or from hot-pepper-loving cultures would consider tame.

Pepper jelly from the Caribbean is another story. For starters, the local peppers--habaneros, scotch bonnets and the like--are far hotter than those traditionally used in North Carolina and the American South. Accordingly, the heat level of your typical Caribbean pepper jelly is impressive, to say the least! But a well-made Caribbean pepper jelly, just like an American one, will boast a rich, palate-pleasing pepper flavor and a mellow sweetness to nicely balance the heat. Marie Sharp's Pepper Jellies are excellent representatives of the Caribbean style of pepper jelly.

Made with choice green habanero peppers, Marie Sharp's Green Habanero Pepper Jelly gets its beautiful pale green shade without any artificial colors--in fact, like all her jellies, it's made from all-natural ingredients. In addition to giving the jelly its color, the green habaneros bring their very bright, youthful pepper flavor along with their sharp heat to create a blazing hot condiment that pairs best with heartier, more robustly-flavored or seasoned foods (think beef, pork, mutton, goat, venison) as well as grilled fish or on a fried-fish sandwich.

Red Habanero Pepper Jelly

For a mellower, rounder ripe-pepper flavor that will complement your breakfast plate, lunch burger or sandwich, or dinner entree, there's Marie Sharp's Red Habanero Pepper Jelly, made with choice red habanero peppers. Because the red habaneros have ripened fully, their flavor is naturally sweeter (just like red bell peppers are sweeter than green), with fruity overtones instead of the natural "grassy" or vegetal notes from green habaneros. As with her green pepper jelly, the red pepper jelly is all-natural, and both are made with unrefined sugar--there's no corn syrup in either of these tropical treats! Enjoy the red habanero pepper jelly just as you would the green, and you can also spread it on biscuits or bagels with or without cream cheese (but it is HOT so be prepared), or heat it to make a glaze for ribs or shrimp-and-veggie kabobs.

Sweet Orange Jelly

Finally, if you or someone you know prefers to avoid hot and spicy foods, or if you're merely looking for something sweet and gentle, we've added Marie Sharp's Sweet Orange Pepper Jelly. More delicate in flavor and texture than a Seville orange marmalade or preserve, this sunny all-natural jelly brings a gentle, graceful orange flavor that will make you smile. Ideal for breakfast, brunch or sweet snacking, it's delicious on biscuits, toast, scones, pancakes, waffles or even on graham crackers or shortbread. There are no hot peppers in this luscious tropical condiment, so everyone from little kids to great-grandmothers will enjoy it without fear of burnt tongues.

If you're interested in other sweet products, make sure to check out our selection of Sweet Stuff at the Carolina Sauces online store, ranging from mild and innocent to wild and fiery-hot.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Pancake Syrup with a Splash of Bourbon

Jim Beam Bourbon Pancake Syrup

Earlier this year, I shared my recipe for Sweet Potato Rosti (a rosti is similar to an oversize latke, but more pancake-like) served with homemade Cinnamon Bourbon Maple Syrup. If you made and enjoyed my syrup recipe, or if the idea of a bourbon-spiked pancake syrup appeals to you but you don't have the time or inclination to make it, then I have good news: You can now buy Jim Beam Bourbon Pancake Syrup from the Carolina Sauce Company!

A splash of real Kentucky bourbon whiskey not only complements the natural sweetness of old-fashioned breakfast syrup, but its dark caramel and and subtle vanilla notes broaden and deepen the flavor of this rich and mellow pancake syrup. And don't worry, kids won't get drunk on this bourbon-spiked syrup, so it's good for the whole family.

As the name suggests, Jim Beam Bourbon Pancake Syrup is obviously great with pancakes, waffles, French toast, crepes, and yes, with rosti, too. But as with other sweet breakfast syrups, it's also a wonderful addition to oatmeal and other hot cereals, or drizzled over ice cream, cheesecake, bread pudding, pound cake, a bowl of berries sprinkled with nuts, and other sweet treats. And for a fancy coffeehouse experience at home, simply stir a spoonful or two into hot or cold coffee. You can also add it to smoothies, or even drizzle over a baked sweet potato!

Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon Pancake Syrup is currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Three New Fruit Hot Sauces from Maui Pepper Company

Strawberry Meltdown Hot Sauce

While hot sauces flavored with fruit have been around for some time now, most fruit hot sauces rely almost exclusively on tropical fruits like mango, papaya, different varieties of citrus (lemon, lime, orange and even grapefruit), and pineapple. Also popular are peaches and apricots. And for the sake of this post, I'm not including tomatoes even though technically they're fruit.

Once in a while we run into an unusual (for hot sauce) fruit playing a starring role in a hot sauce, such as apple (featured in Maui Pepper Co. Apples Ass Hot Sauce) or cranberry (in the award-winning Toad Sweat Cranberry Dessert Sauce). The following three new hot sauces fall into this category, as each uses one or more different berries to provide lusciously summer-sweet, ripe & juicy flavor that delightfully complement the hot peppers for a refreshingly creative taste experience.  All three are made by Maui Pepper Company, and are now available on the Carolina Sauces online store.

The first of the bunch is the "tamest" and is called Strawberry Meltdown Hot Sauce, a bright and sassy concoction of juicy strawberries and fiery habanero peppers in a honey-sweetened apple juice & vinegar base. The flavor is enticing and inviting, not quite delicate but gentle enough for use on the mildest of foods including fish and shellfish, pork loin and poultry for pleasantly piquant spice and sunny strawberry flavor. As with the Toad Sweat hot sauces, Strawberry Meltdown is terrific on desserts such as cheesecake, bread pudding, chocolate or vanilla ice cream, or even on biscuits, pancakes, hot oatmeal and other breakfast fare. One taste and you'll wonder why you never thought of combining strawberries with chili peppers!

Chipotle Raspberry Mango Hot Sauce

In contrast to the light, bright flavor of the previous sauce, Chipotle Raspberry Mango Hot Sauce is firmly grounded in deep, earthy, smoky and complex flavors, but with enough ripe raspberry sweetness to keep this sauce from getting too "heavy" or "dark." In addition to providing a robust smokiness to this singular hot sauce, the chipotles add a good amount of heat--and there are also habanero peppers in the mix--making this fruity-smoky hot sauce an excellent choice for heartier foods including anything grilled, plus roast beef or turkey, all sorts of sausages, and even burgers and steak. It's outrageously good with smoked ribs, and it's divine on veggie burgers instead of ketchup, too. For a quick appetizer or snack, blend some of this hot sauce into softened cream cheese and spread on crackers or pita chips, a bagel, or even some toast. Boost the flavor by mixing a few splashes into your favorite chicken salad or turkey salad recipe.

Berry Mangolo Hot Sauce

Last but certainly not least is the amusingly-named Berry Mangolo Mango Habanero Hot Sauce (this one makes a great gift for a chilehead who appreciates silly puns). Each release of this berry-loaded hot sauce is slightly different than the previous, because the combination of berries used will vary with what's in season and best at the time each batch is made. But the common threads are that each batch begins with Maui Pepper Company's famous mango-habanero hot sauce base, and each batch will include three different types of berries selected from the following possible choices: Strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, red raspberry, boysenberry and marionberry. How's that for berry-licious variety?

Berry Mangolo falls between the other two berry hot sauces in terms of heat and "bigness" of flavor, making it quite possibly the most versatile and food-friendly of the bunch. Like Strawberry Meltdown, you can enjoy this sweet and fruity hot sauce on ice cream, cheesecake and other desserts; over waffles, pancakes, French toast and other breakfast items; with grilled, roasted, broiled or baked meats, poultry and seafood; and in dips, salads and other recipes when you're feeling adventurous.

You'll find these and other fruity hot sauces, as well as more traditional savory and tangy hot sauces, on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Mmmm, Peach MmmMarmalade!

This Easter, I received a sweet little Easter basket of goodies from my fellow foodie friend and entrepreneur, Mrs. Picky Fanicky of Mrs. Picky Fanicky Foods--no, that's not her real name, but rather a term of endearment that describes her devotion to producing only the finest, most irresistibly delectable North Carolina marmalades and chutney made from wholesome, all-natural ingredients, using traditional family recipes and plenty of love. In addition to a jar of her divine Peach Cocktail MmmMarmalade, my basket contained an adorable notecard with recipe suggestions and a few homemade chocolate goodies which were a delightful--and delicious--surprise. One taste of her peach marmalade reminded me of how much I missed being able to sell her products through the Carolina Sauce online store, and how disappointed I was when I learned that our warehouse partner wasn't going to stock them.

Not being willing to give up so easily, and because I've continued to receive requests from customers who want to purchase Mrs. Picky's chutney and marmalades from Carolina Sauce Company, I set off on a quest to see if we could partner with one of Mrs. Picky's distributors and thus resume offering her products on our website.

Buy Mrs. Picky Marmalade

Good news: I succeeded.  Through our new affiliate partnership with Abe's Market, you can now buy Mrs. Picky Fanicky's NC Chutney & Marmalades from our recently-updated North Carolina Products page! When you get to this page, simply scroll half-way down and you'll find the link for Mrs. Picky's products in the left column (look for the photo with three jars). Click on that link and you'll be able to place your order directly with Abe's Market, and we'll earn a small commission from them for referring the sale. Likewise, you can also click on the "Buy Mrs. Picky Marmalade" link and photo on the right.

So how did I enjoy my jar of Easter marmalade? In addition to the usual ways of slathering it on toast or biscuits and spooning it over ice cream, I treated myself to a hearty bowl of hot cereal topped with a sprinkling of slivered almonds and a generous dollop or two of marmalade. This was my breakfast of choice on several cool mornings after returning from a long run. Whether you make hot oatmeal or a multi-grain hot cereal like I did, or even a bowl of Grape-Nuts with hot milk, adding a few spoonfuls of marmalade turns an ordinary, boring breakfast into a special occasion, without ruining your diet, either.

Another satisfying breakfast, brunch and lunch treat was a toasted whole-wheat bagel spread with natural chunky peanut butter and Mrs. Picky's peach marmalade. Healthy, hearty and heavenly, especially when accompanied by a big mug of good coffee or tea. If you don't like bagels, you could certainly make a PB&M (peanut butter and marmalade) sandwich with regular bread, or spread both the peanut butter and the marmalade on a wrap or tortilla and then roll up--or even on a hot waffle or on pancakes. Peanut butter and peach marmalade are a winning combination, better than using ordinary jelly or jam.

My favorite creation, however, was this recipe for roasted sweet potatoes & carrots with rosemary and peach marmalade. It was very easy to make and took about 30 minutes of time, most of which was the roasting time, leaving you free to prepare the rest of your dinner while the sweet potatoes and carrots roast in the oven. Not only was it sublimely delicious as a dinner side dish with its balance of sweet and savory (an ideal pairing would be roast chicken or pork or even venison), but the leftovers were surprisingly good the next day, straight from the refrigerator without warming them up first.

Mrs. Picky also makes a marvelous strawberry marmalade called Sundae MmmMarmalade, a spiced Apple Pie MmmMarmalade that tastes like old-fashioned apple pie, and a spicy-sweet and subtly savory chutney that complements meats, poultry and seafood, and also doubles as a BBQ glaze for ribs and chicken. Gift packs are also available, and would make a thoughtful Mother's Day gift.

How do you enjoy Mrs. Picky's products? Please leave us a comment here or on the Carolina Sauce Facebook Page to let us know!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Snacks & Sweets for 2011

If March Madness has you searching for zesty snacks to enjoy while watching your favorite team, look no further than our list of the top ten best-selling snacks and sweets for 2011 at the Carolina Sauce Company.  Unfortunately our top-seller is indefinitely unavailable due to production changes at the manufacturer in Australia, but there's still plenty to choose from on the list, and additional tasty choices on our Snacks page.

1. Buderim Ginger Bears: These Australian gummy bears are made with real ginger for a zippy, snappy flavor that's not too sweet and has that trademark ginger "bite." Sadly, the manufacturer is not currently producing the popular 12oz bags that became our best-selling snack. We hope to be able to offer whatever new ginger gummy products they produce in the future.

2. Dave's Insanity Popcorn: If you're addicted to super-spicy fiery foods, this is the popcorn for you. Generously seasoned with the "dry" version of Dave's Insanity Sauce, Insanity Popcorn is a LOT hotter than any spicy popcorn you'll find in a grocery store.  Not for the faint of tongue, Dave's Insanity Popcorn pops in the microwave and is best served with a large frosty beverage to cool off the burn.

3. Deano's Cheddar Jalapeno Chips: Made from thinly-sliced jalapeno peppers instead of potatoes, these jalapeno chips are a great low-carb crunchy snack with a feisty peppery burn and rich cheesy flavor. If you like jalapeno poppers or crunchy cheddar snacks that are spicy, you'll love Deano's Cheddar Jalapeno Chips.

4. Ass Kickin' Jelly Beans: Don't let their innocent appearance fool you--these are NOT your kids' jelly beans!  Sure, they start off sweet like ordinary jelly beans, but when you least expect it, BAM! the habanero heat strikes.  Take these habanero-spiked jelly beans to work and your desktop candy bowl will never be raided again.

5. Toad Sweat Dessert Hot Sauce mini-4-pack: Enjoy all four award-winning dessert hot sauces from Toad Sweat with this gift pack.  These groundbreaking sauces blend sweet fruit with fiery peppers in a dessert sauce base to add uniquely delicious spicy flavor to cheesecake, bread pudding, ice cream, pound cake, brownies, lemon bars, cobblers, and even hot cereal or pancakes. They come in Lemon Vanilla, Key Lime, Chocolate Orange and Cranberry.

6. Deano's Ranch Jalapeno Chips: Similar to the cheddar jalapeno chips but coated with tangy buttermilk Ranch instead of cheddar cheese, Deano's Ranch Jalapeno Chips are a tasty low-carb alternative to potato chips and other high-carb crunchy snacks. Moderately spicy, it's easy to eat an entire bag in one sitting.

7. Toad Sweat Cranberry Dessert Hot Sauce: This is the most popular flavor of Toad Sweat Dessert Hot Sauces, probably because it's the most versatile. In addition to tasting great on cheesecake, ice cream, pancakes and other desserts or breakfast fare, this Cranberry hot sauce also pairs nicely with turkey or chicken (roasted, baked, grilled, smoked or cold cuts) as well as pork chops, medallions and other pork dishes.

8. Wasabi Bombs (wasabi peanuts): Similar to wasabi peas but made with peanuts instead, Wasabi Bombs pack a powerful, sinus-clearing horseradish punch.  The crunchy green outer shell delivers the intense wasabi flavor, and inside you'll find a premium peanut for a complementary contrast in flavor and texture.

9. Blair's Original Death Beef Jerky: Folks who like beef jerky and spicy foods love this fiery, chewy snack.  Real dried beef is seasoned with the infamous Blair's Original Death hot sauce for unparalleled heat and that unmistakable Blair's flavor.

10. Blair's Death Rain Habanero Potato Chips: These kettle-cooked potato chips are seasoned with Blair's Death Rain habanero BBQ rub for a fiery-hot & tangy habanero barbecue flavor.  Spicy potato chips never tasted so good--or burned so hot!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  Our new Best-Sellers page has all of our category-specific best-seller lists for 2011, as well as the comprehensive list of last year's top selling products across all categories.

Buderim Ginger Bears Update

Buderim Ginger Bears are a zippy, zingy gummy candy from Australia that's made with real ginger for a refreshing "bite" and grown-up flavor.  These are not your super-sweet "little kid" gummy bears:  You can really taste the ginger, and there's just enough sugar to sweeten them up a bit.  Their addictively delicious flavor has made them our best-selling spicy snack of all time.

Because Buderim Ginger Bears are made with real ginger, many folks rely on them to ease an upset stomach, help relieve motion sickness and other nausea, and for ginger's other reported beneficial properties.  But precisely because they're made with real ginger and not laden with artificial ingredients, Mother Nature sometimes interferes with their availability, be it through ginger crop blights, inhospitable weather, humidity/temperature issues during transit across the ocean or while in bulk storage, etc.  Likewise, Murphy's Law will sometimes throw a wrench in the Australian manufacturer's machinery.  These production disruptions have made it challenging--sometimes virtually impossible, in fact--to keep Buderim Ginger Bears in stock in sufficient quantities to meet our customers' demands.

Unfortunately, we've been stuck in one of these long-term "ginger bear droughts" due to ongoing problems in Australia with the ginger crop and the manufacturer's production facility.  Our warehouse has been diligently following up with Buderim on the status of our pending back-order.  Likewise, I've been asking for periodic status reports from the warehouse.

The last I heard, back in early November, was that Buderim hadn't yet shipped a container over from Australia and thus it would be unlikely for the ginger bears to be available in time for Christmas.  I've once again asked for an update from the warehouse to see if there's been any progress, and I hope to hear back from the warehouse this week with an updated status report.

As soon as I have more information on the availability of Buderim Ginger Bears, I will post an update on this blog.  We're also continuing to compile a waiting list of customers who wish to be notified when the ginger bears are back in stock at the Carolina Sauce Company.  If you want to add your name to our waiting list, here's all you need to do:

1.  Send an email to sales@carolinasauce.com with "Buderim Ginger Bears" in the subject line

2.  Tell us that you want to be notified when the ginger bears are available again

That's it!  Don't worry, we will NOT put you on ANY other email lists or otherwise use your email address, unless you ask us to do so.

Thanks for your patience, and rest assured that we're doing all we can to bring Buderim Ginger Bears back in stock.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria