BP Diaz & BOEDC Announce a Spicy Bronx Connection to Puerto Rico with The Bronx Hot Sauce!

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation have announced that, through the efforts of BOEDC and Taste New York, a special connection has been made with Puerto Rico where the spicy flavor of serrano peppers grown in Bronx community gardens will be available for thousands to taste.

Thanks to this new effort, The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce is now offered for sale the Taste New York store in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as at the five La Hacienda stores on the island. In addition, the sauce will also be offered as a condiment at the Buns and Burgers restaurant.

“The Bronx Hot Sauce is a great product that showcases the diverse flavors of our borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “As the home to 1.4 million residents, a majority whom are rooted in Puerto Rico, this is a great, mutually beneficial connection for tourism and a wonderful way to highlight and support the amazing efforts of so many individuals who are committed to our community gardens.”

“The Bronx Hot Sauce was designed to help local gardeners and the communities they serve. Being able to bring this offering to the good people of Puerto Rico is exciting for a new firm such as ours,” said John A. Crotty, Senior Vice President at Bronx Hot Sauce. “We want to thank Borough President Diaz and Marlene Cintron for their efforts in creating this opportunity for us. It wouldn’t have happened without their foresight and advocacy and we are lucky to have them.”

“BOEDC is delighted to have brought Bronx Hot Sauce to the attention of Taste New York in Puerto Rico.  This effort brings our products to a new market that loves hot sauce.  We look forward to sharing other ‘Made In The Bronx’ products with that market as well as open ours to theirs,” said Marlene Cintron, President of BOEDC. “This is just the beginning of a great commercial interchange”.

“NYC has so many different flavors and cultural legacies. As a person of Thai and Filipino descent who works in NYC, it is great to create a flavor born out of that diversity and also from products grown locally in the Bronx to share with the people of Puerto Rico.” said Chef King Phojanakong who created the recipe for the Bronx Hot Sauce “I hope that the people of Puerto Rico will enjoy it with their Pernil, Lechon and Pasteles.”

The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce is made using serrano peppers grown locally in dozens of community gardens in the Bronx. There are roughly 600+ community gardens representing over 32 acres of parkland throughout the city. Each garden has its own unique story and community. Their contributions to NYC and other cities comprise one of the great untold urban stories.

“In Buns we are always looking for the most intense and exotic Hot Sauces available to combine with our burgers and fries,” said Benjamin Aruca, Co-Owner, Buns Burger Shop. “Bronx Hot Sauce is the perfect example. Also, I studied college in NY so it was an easy Yes!”

“When we tasted it we noticed there was not only the spiciness, it also had a unique flavor.  At that moment we knew we need it to have on our shelves,” said Jorge Bonnet and Robi Bonnet, Owners, La Hacienda Meat Center.

“I loved everything about the Bronx Hot Sauces. The labeling, flavors and hotness.  But what really got me was the story behind it,” said Gian L Betancourt of Distribuidores Del Caribe, Inc.

The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce is a product of GrowNYC’s community gardens, in collaboration with Bronx Greenup and Small Axe Peppers. GrowNYC is a hands-on non-profit that works to improve New York City’s quality of life through environmental programs that transform communities block by block and empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.

Originally created in 1970 as the Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC), GrowNYC has, over the past 40 years, worked to become more engaged with New York City and its citizens. GrowNYC’s projects span operating the world famous Union Square Greenmarket and building new community gardens to teaching young people about the environment and improving recycling awareness.