About Olde Town Sauce Co. in Cherokee County, GA
The story behind Olde Town Sauce Co. is one of happy accidents, family priorities, and a genuine love of good food. Founded by Luke and Ashley in Cherokee County, Georgia, this family-owned sauce company started not with a business plan, but with a neighbor's recipe swap and a few well-timed substitutions. What came out of that kitchen experiment was a flavor-forward sauce that friends and neighbors couldn't stop talking about. That accidental recipe became the foundation of everything Olde Town Sauce Co. stands for today.
Georgia Hot Sauce History
From a Home Kitchen to Cherokee County's Favorite Sauce
About two and a half years ago, Luke was running a custom woodworking business when a simple ingredient swap changed everything. During a recipe exchange with a neighbor, he reached for cayenne pepper instead of Tabasco and adjusted the Italian seasonings along the way. The result was something entirely new: a rich, complex sauce built on pepper mash, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire. The flavor came first, and the heat followed naturally on the back end. The sauce quickly became a staple at local gatherings, and by March 2024, Olde Town Sauce Co. officially launched from that same home kitchen. Luke and Ashley brought their handmade sauce from home kitchen to local farmers markets across Cherokee County, and it sold out fast. Two successful seasons later, the demand made one thing clear: this was no longer just a family recipe. It was a business.
20+
YEARS IN BUSINESS
A FAMILY-OWNED SAUCE COMPANY STORY BUILT ON REAL LIFE
Like a lot of meaningful things, the growth of Olde Town Sauce Co. was driven by real-life necessity. When the couple welcomed twin boys, Ashley stepped back from work, and the need for a reliable supplemental income pushed the brand to the next level. Luke and Ashley spent roughly a year and a half searching for a co-packer capable of reproducing their recipe exactly as intended, with no added preservatives, no stabilizers, and no shortcuts. They eventually found the right manufacturing partner in New York, one who could honor the original formula that had already won over Cherokee County. That commitment to quality shows up in every bottle. The sauce separates naturally, just as it always has, because there is nothing artificial holding it together. It is the same accidental masterpiece that first sold out at the farmers market, now available at retail partners across Georgia including Wilkes of Ball Ground, JC's Family Market, and the Corner Butcher Shop. The recipe has not changed. Only the reach has grown.
Awards, Recognition & Affiliations
Recognized by the Community
Our commitment to bold flavor and quality ingredients has earned recognition from hot sauce enthusiasts, local retailers, and the community.
3rd Place — Atlanta Hot Sauce Fest
Recognized with 3rd Place for Best Wing Sauce at the Atlanta Hot Sauce Fest.
Featured by Wilson’s Hot Sauce
Our sauce was sampled and reviewed on Instagram by Wilson’s Hot Sauce.
Available at Local Retailers
Our sauces are currently stocked at local butcher shops, markets, and specialty eateries, including:
- Wilkes of Ball Ground
- JC’s Family Market
- The Corner Butcher Shop
- Local Bagel Restaurant
What People Ask About Olde Town Sauce Co.
How did the original Lovin' Good Sauce recipe come together?
The recipe came together entirely by accident during a neighbor's recipe swap in Cherokee County, Georgia. Luke substituted cayenne pepper for Tabasco and made a few adjustments to the Italian seasonings, and the result was a flavor profile that nobody had tasted quite like before. The combination of pepper mash, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire created a rich, layered base where the heat shows up at the back end rather than hitting you upfront. That accidental batch became the foundation of Olde Town Sauce Co.Is Olde Town Sauce Co. still a family-run operation, or has it grown into a larger company?
It remains a family-owned and operated business led by Luke and Ashley. The production side has scaled through a professional, but that transition was a deliberate choice to meet growing demand while keeping the original recipe intact. Luke and Ashley spent about a year and a half finding a manufacturer who could reproduce the sauce without adding preservatives or stabilizers. The brand's day-to-day identity, its values, and the recipe itself all still come directly from the family.
Why does my bottle of Olde Town Sauce separate, and is that normal?
Yes, separation is completely normal and is actually a sign of quality. Because the sauce contains no added preservatives or stabilizers, the natural ingredients settle over time, just as they would in a home kitchen. A quick shake before using brings everything back together. This is one of the ways Olde Town Sauce Co. keeps its clean-label promise: what you see in the bottle is exactly what was put in, with nothing artificial to hold it in a uniform state. If your sauce separates, it is working as intended.Where can I buy Olde Town Sauce Co. products in Georgia outside of farmers market season?
During the off-season, the sauce is available at several retail partners in Cherokee County and the surrounding area, including Wilkes of Ball Ground, JC's Family Market, and the Corner Butcher Shop. You can also order online year-round, where the full product lineup is available, including the original Lovin' Good Sauce in both 5 oz and 16 oz sizes, the Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce, and the Gift Bundle that includes both.Is the Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce meant as a challenge sauce, or can everyday cooks use it?
It is not a challenge sauce. Luke and Ashley were very intentional about this: the Reaper Sauce was made to highlight the distinct flavor of the Carolina Reaper pepper, not to be the hottest thing on the planet. The goal was to give people a way to experience what the pepper actually tastes like, rather than just enduring the heat. It is a step up from the original Lovin' Good Sauce in intensity, but it is built on the same flavor-first philosophy that defines the whole Olde Town Sauce Co. lineup.Has Olde Town Sauce Co. received any outside recognition for its products?
Yes. The sauce earned 3rd Place for Best Wing Sauce at the Atlanta Hot Sauce Fest, which was a meaningful milestone for a brand that started in a home kitchen just a couple of years earlier. The brand has also been featured by Wilson's Hot Sauce on Instagram, a respected voice in the specialty sauce community. These recognitions reflect what local customers in Cherokee County had already been saying since the farmers market days: the flavor stands on its own.What sets this sauce apart from the hot sauces already on grocery store shelves?
Most commercially available hot sauces are built around heat levels and shelf stability, which usually means additives, stabilizers, and a flavor profile designed for mass appeal. Olde Town Sauce Co. takes the opposite approach. The original recipe uses a specific combination of pepper mash, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire to build a genuinely complex flavor. There are no preservatives, the sauce separates naturally, and it was developed by a family in Cherokee County, Georgia, not a product development team working to a formula.
