How I Built Mike's Hot Honey Into A $40 Million-A-Year Business
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- Опубликовано: 17 май 2024
- After years of creating and perfecting his hot honey recipe at home, Mike Kurtz brought in a bottle to show his boss, Paulie Gee, while serving as his pizza apprentice. Paulie loved it, and the unique topping quickly became a hit. From there, demand grew and what had started as a hobby for Mike, suddenly picked up steam and is now a full-blown company bringing in $40 million a year.
Produced by: Raffi Paul
Senior Managing Producer: Eric M. Clark
Additional Camera: Mickey Todiwala
Reporter: Nicolas Vega
Edited by: Dennis Donovan
Animator: Gene Kim
Additional Footage: Mike's Hot Honey, Getty Images
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How I Built Mike's Hot Honey Into A $40 Million-A-Year Business
I love how excited he gets about the hot honey.
It's the people who make businesses and America amazing.
which books do you recommend?
@@mooreben3295
imagine falling for this scam
@@toledo6036 wait, so it wasn't three real people having a riveting random conversation?
I need two try the honey
Someone gifted my household a bottle for the holidays and we haven’t looked back. Honestly I had no clue it was originally made for pizza! We drizzle it on roasted chickpeas
Tastes great on Vanilla Ice cream and candied pecans! That’s how Paulie Gee’s in BK also serves it, for desert!
It’s is Incredible on pep pizza
@@chadbailey7038 HOW HAVE i NOT TRIED THIS??
Honestly, it is good on some fried chicken and fish2
Respect. They really created a new condiment for pizza. Great job to Mike for seizing the opportunity.
He or his team didn’t create anything.. He just did what his type of people are good at and took something that was already established from some hard working Brazilian family’s business, and used his 1st world privilege to market it to a bigger audience.
@@cmc2690 Yeah, but those Brazilian families wouldn't of gone to America and started it. It's not just the product. It's how you market and where you sell it. Like if McDonald's never met Ray Kroc
@@dupeusa isn’t that what I said? He didn’t “create” anything as you stated. He just used the fact he’s a white guy in a 1st world country to market something he fell in love with from another culture. Nothing original about it, even him marketing it as a pizza condiment. He should pay respects and actually pay the business and family that paved the way for his success. I’m sure if that family had the means to make it to the states and do what he did they’d have the 40mil.
@@cmc2690yeah you’re right man. Ideally he should have gone back to Brasil, found the family and give them a royalty check for being the real inventors of hot honey.
@@cmc2690nobody cares
Really impressive and inspiring story a decade worth of hard work and perfecting the recipe.
Absolutely loved this episode. I'll definitely just subscribed to the channel. It's super inspiring seeing someone believe in their product wholeheartedly before anyone else does. Having the will to push through adversity isn't for the weak but the Founder Mike did. Kudos mate!
I first tried this in one of my Hello Fresh meals. It was drizzled on these lemon ricotta flatbreads with roasted Brussels sprouts. I was instantly hooked. I put it on everything now but definitely love it on a thin crust pepperoni pizza. Love Mike’s Hot Honey! ❤
Mile ‘s Hot honey - good on waffles - tomato pasta sauce - oatmeal - peaches - mayo - other salad dressings - ham - sautéed veggies - cheese omelette with Brie . . .and still experimenting. Adding it doesn’t necessarily make anything sweet. Just a small amount often just rounds out, or mellows a flavor and adds a little kick. Just the right amount of heat for me.
my first taste of Mike's Hot Honey was a squeeze packet included with my pizza delivery. I've been hooked ever since!! excellent business model and tasty product!!
Same here 😉
That neon sign strategy is really smart and innovative.
It’s so simple. As he says beers do it why can’t others.
The neon sign is a genius idea. Why are breweries the only one doing that. Good job 👏
cause only bars or bar style restaurants have the aesthetic for neon signs
Beautiful story. I will definitely be buying this. All the best Mike!
Nice to hear your story! I've been a fan for several years and have turned on all my friends to it. Best regards from Indiana!
I just used Mike’s on dinner tonight. I smoked a pork shoulder, then added Mike’s and butter when I wrapped the shoulder in aluminum foil. Even my 6,5, and 2 year olds loved it.
Saw this and immediately went to get hot honey & a pepperoni pizza. Life changed forever!
Crazy story! I also decided to open my pickle business when hiking in a canyon (in peru). Glad to see things are going great! I’m sure we’ll meet soon mike!
I hope that in the future hot honey is as much as a staple to have on the table at pizza places as red pepper flakes and parmesan.
This guy is super impressive. Very inspirational.
Literally pleasantly surprised how good this condiment is! Especially on pizza. This weekend I used it on coconut shrimp mixed with mango chutney my goodness the seasoning was incredible!
I love this. Been inspired
This dude is so chill
Love Mike and Matt! Gave me an opportunity to help them early on - so you guys killed it!
Are you an investor?
@@donaldchinn4515 no - worked part time sales.
Brazilians make very different but incredible pizza, I’m sure another trip to Brazil will inspire him again
Made sirracha honey chicken stir fry recently with Mike’s hot honey.. the possibilities are truly endless!
A few years ago it was trendy to “save the bees” and boycott honey. Now hot honey seems like all the rage.
i remeber
Been put hot sauce and honey on my chicken since I was a kid he turned it into a business 🤦🏾♂️
right? lol also if your pizza is only good with sauce on it, good luck to that business
@@berrex5152All Pizza has tomato sauce so your wrong af.
Just bought my first bottle tonight! Can’t wait to try it out!
Congratulations on the success of your business, Happy for you :)
One of my favorite condiments!
I make orange chicken from scratch at home, and replaced the sugar with Mike's Extra Hot and was the most delicious version I've had. Thanks Mike.
I still remember the first time I saw Mike's hot honey in the store, never looked back. A must have in the pantry.
so nice to see well executed non-toxic marketing
We put Catalina on our pizza where I live. The sweet and savory combo works really well.
Brilliant, well done Mike.
i lived close to greenpoint for years around then and the hellboy was my fav pizza by a landslide (even with a 2+ hour wait.) I had absolutely no idea mikes hot started at paulie gee's!
He truly needs to take this international, I always take it with me back to Europe and the need is growing!
I gotta try this now.
That extra hot version is wild. Mike must have been guzzling milk while developing that one.
I love it.
Bought it at Pizza Nova in Canada.
Yummy!
Seems like a novelty item worthy picking up if I remember this at HEB.
You know he's right. I'd just heard of it earlier this year when I started ordering pizza from Macy's in Buffalo, NY, and they had the big neon sign.
The UTZ w/hot honey is amazing.
Ohhhh, a STRONG core product. Damn, I think he's got this thing figured out.
Hot honey
What an AMAZING idea and product! Dang it, this thing can be used in any freakin dish! From sweet pancakes to savory cocktails!!!!
great content love from Toronto
They have a Pauline Gee’s in Columbus and the first time I had hot honey it rocked my world, great product
to be honest when i first found mikes hot honey i was so stoked about it and after i tasted it it just cemented it in my brain even more i wont eat pizza now without it
Thank for sharing
Fuegooo this stuff goes on everything chicken sandwich from heaven
We met him back in 2017 at the Bryant Park Winter Village. Cool guy!
Don't forget Omelets.. 😋
Never heard of “condiment man” as a profession haha but love it!
$40 million pizza topping... Bro, that topping better turn me to a Superman.
Interesting as you find it in the discount sections of walmarts
CNBC make it really popped off in 2023, Olipop, Smart Sweets, Insomnia Cookies, Mike’s Hot 🔥 it is incredible how I have tried so many of these products and love them all. It’s a change of pace from the mainstream narrative of doom and gloom recession, etc . To see so many stories of successful entrepreneurs it proves the American dream is alive or at the very least that there is a strong economic force pushing this country forward. America the beautiful people 🇺🇸
What a great story! Adding vinegar, genius!
I tasted hot honey on pizza… it is life changing 👌🏼 want to taste this particular hot honey though 🤩 branding is on point I must admit
Branding caught my eyes immediately.
I'm surprised that pizza is the main suggested usage, because I've enjoyed hot honey for years before Mike's became famous, and the application was always fried chicken, not pizza.
This on top of some
Smoked baby back ribs is the BOMB . Never tried it on pizza though. I’m gonna give it a shot now.
First heard of hot honey in manchester at a brilliant pizza and tequila place, it was awesome
ive been mixing honey and hot sauce for years but that's me, that show ive been doin it
I've hot honey with chilis before Mike's hot honey, I was wondering why no one commercialized it.
Some farmer markets have chili infused honey too, like decades ago
Tried this at a friend's house but on wings & I was hooked! Just got a bottle today! About to cook dinner now. For wings though. Will have to try on pizza another time.
Tried the Hellboy at Paulie Gee's once and I've been a MHH stan since
now im very intrested in how they make it or if they have outsourced it to others.
My staple condiment on & Pizza. I save my extra Mike's Hot Honey cups...heading Amazon!
Need that neon sign in my apartment!
what blows my mind is that people already have honey and hot sauce, but buy this instead. Marketing is the secret.
Try infusing hot sauce and honey...tastes nothing like this brands honey
Sour cream with garlic taste is super popular in Scandinavia on pizza
Thank you
Hey ive gone thru 2 of these pretty good but i just got the danny trejo or whatever one and its hotter which is better tho ive not tried the extra hots mikes. Regular hot isnt that noticeble to me
Danny Trejo knows spice.
He mentions you should focus on a single thing and that's true. initially, you should focus on a single thing. But as time passes you should diversify to decrease risk. Like "Oh no, the honey producers are striking due to xyz issues" or "Honey producers are increasing prices too much" etc.
Had the pleasure of trying Mikes hot honey at Paulie Gees before it exploded... Best pizza i ever had. I literally went back home and was telling everyone i know they had to try pepperoni pizza with some hot honey on it.
I like Honey flavored things but I just did not like when I made my own hot honey and tried it on a pizza. I recognize that in South Korea its a common condiment for Pizza to dip it in a little honey but I just don't like the taste that much. I haven't been able to get a bottle of this and its possible this recipe is a lot better than what I made at home.
Sick jersey!!
They should partner with beau jo’s in Colorado! They already have the pizza and honey combo but not hot honey. That would be great!
honey on pizza... why yes i will have hersheys on my steak.
Dang happy for him.i loved it on wings 👅
The neon signs work
I've never even heard of them so it's still an isolated American thing in just a few regions.
Siracha and Frank's is still the main ones here
Bring it to the UK!
The real title of this video ought to be: "How I ruined perfectly good pepperoni pizza."
Genius
Awesome come to nc
worth 40 million in equity valuation or generates 40 million gross income? either way, im adding honey to my shopping cart right now.
sold
Another good condiment?
Pesto Mayo
It goes amazingly well with Burgers, white-base pizza, Pasta, Lasagna and All-Things-Fried!
Another great one is...
BBQ Mayo!
Bro I just got an ad for Mike bigel or smth
Not a fan of the product but it's an awesome story and I like the enthusiasm
as we HIKED thru the jungles of peru, WE DESCENDED thru the clouds and found ourselves in a peaceful village in the valley, AND THERE WE FOUND A PIZZERIA 🤣🤣🤣
He created a gold mine
Make a Mike's hot honey hot sauce.
Wow. I'm very proud that this idea started in my country. Let's go Brazil 🇧🇷🇺🇸
I keep telling people that USA eats spicy 😂 but no one believes me. Especially when it's sweet and spicy like barbecue 😋
It's crazy we been making a sauce similar to this in the restaurant for decades. Dam
That could have been you
Just made myself malawach with honey and checked RUclips while I eat and this video pops up...
it's good but every restaurant that has it uses way too much and the sweet honey flavor dominates the pizza. Use with caution please!
Also good on PBJ.
i ive been doing this at home for like 5$ for years use oil cook chilly flakes at to honey.
Good things.
Green tea and hot honey for me; also BBQ chicken.