Sponsored by Mike’s Hot Honey
Mike’s Hot Honey has been setting the food world ablaze with its distinctive blend of sweet and spicy flavors. What’s the secret? The honey is infused with chili peppers, resulting in a delicious balance of heat and sweetness that’s easy to add with a simple drizzle. The versatile product is showing up on menus across the country, enhancing everything from breakfast to dinner, beverages, desserts, and everything in between. In fact, the term “hot honey” on menus has grown 122 percent over the last four years and is predicted to outpace 99 percent of menu items over the next four years.
This year, the National Restaurant Association named hot honey breakfast sandwiches one of their top trends. Mike’s Hot Honey’s partnership with First Watch, the casual breakfast chain, had already been going strong with an LTO breakfast sandwich in 2021 and another LTO in 2023 featuring Mike’s Hot Honey on a sweet potato hash. The sweet heat combo has been featured on bagels, bacon egg and cheese sandwiches, avocado toast, chicken & waffles and even lattes and beverages. For operators, Mike’s Hot Honey couldn’t be easier to integrate; it’s shelf stable and is typically drizzled as a last step.
Mike’s Hot Honey was born in a kitchen so it’s no wonder it has become a staple on many different kinds of menus throughout the country. Mike Kurtz is to thank for the trend, which began in Brooklyn when he was working at Paulie Gee’s pizzeria and experimenting with his homemade hot honey recipe. From the first drizzle on the Hellboy pizza, it was clear he was onto something special. The result was a deliciously addictive combination that quickly became a hit with customers. Word about the hot honey spread quickly, and before long, Kurtz was bottling and selling it. Fast forward 10-plus years and Mike’s Hot Honey is now on thousands of retailers’ shelves and in food service kitchens nationwide, including recent LTO’s with Marco’s Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, First Watch, and Lee’s Chicken, to name a few.
“It’s the flavor and the brand that keep customers coming back for more, which is why restaurants typically list not just “hot honey” but the brand name “Mike’s Hot Honey” on the menu,” Kurtz says. “Customers can also be assured that our product is always made with pure, high-quality honey.”
While its uses are endless, the pizza pairing is still what most people associate with Mike’s Hot Honey. The mouth-watering combo of pepperoni drizzled with hot honey has been successfully replicated by all types of pizzerias and is hard to miss if you’re browsing pizzeria social media accounts. From sit-down Neapolitan pizzerias to slice shops, convenience stores, and frozen pizzas, it seems any pizza can be elevated with a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey and consumers can’t seem to get enough.
Mike’s Hot Honey is available through DOT Foods and Foodservice Distributors nationwide. It offers pack sizes for all applications, from bulk jugs to single-serving packets and dip cups.
For more information or to request a sample, visit mikeshothoney.com