Pepper Sauce, Jams & Jellies (1981-Present)
Chilli peppers were part of the Mayan diet since pre-Hispanic times. Some peppers were preferred for specific dishes because they contribute the desired flavor. The original habanero pepper grown in Belize was orange or light yellow.
In 1980, Marie Sharp came up with some recipes for sauces, jams, and jellies while experimenting with fresh Habanero peppers, vegetables, and fruits from her farm. She was overwhelmed with positive feedback and encouragement when neighbors and friends tasted them. In 1981, she decided to turn it into a family business.
Initially, Marie Sharp started their production in a small kitchen with help from relatives and an employee. Sharp noticed that all the commercially produced jams, jellies and marmalade, in Belize, were manufactured from non-tropical fruits. She saw that her farm had surplus fruit and began producing and marketing her natural product made without preservatives. Marie Sharp cross pollinated the flavorful habanero with the Jamaican Red pepper to get the bright red habanero that we have in Belize today.
In 1985, a factory was built to meet the growing demand, today it also serves as a popular tourist destination. The first consignment of Marie Sharp’s pepper sauce arrived in the United States in 1986. With a determined business frame of mind, the factory in Stann Creek, Belize, has seen huge growth, manufacturing for both the local and international markets. Her pepper sauce was the first commercially successful agricultural product manufactured in and exported from Belize, under the name of "Melinda’s Hot Sauce". The American distributor trademarked the name and she later re-branded the product to “Marie Sharp’s” in exchange for being released from her exclusive contract with the distributor. This was the right move as her product has become the most widely distributed Belizean product worldwide.
The name was trademarked by persons trying to profit from her products once more in the US and once in Shanghai, China and each time was settled legally. The famous Tabasco Sauce even took her to court saying her triangle logo was too similar to their diamond label. Marie Sharp replaced her label with a heart you see on the bottle today. This was again the right move as she was then placed posters in the stores that read "The whole world loves Marie Sharp's!".
Marie Sharp's family-owned business takes great pride and honor in producing products with the highest quality, living up to their slogan, “Proud Products of Belize”. The tourists that come to Belize can be found lugging suitcases full of Marie Sharp's classic fiery habanero pepper sauce on their return from visits home. Belizeans have taken to the product and are proud to show it off as their own. In April 2016, she was inducted into the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame and the product continues to expand its global reach, producing new flavors of products.
In her book, What Happened, former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Marie Sharp's the best pepper sauce she has ever tasted. She had become a fan of hot sauce in 1992 when she read research that shows pepper sauce boost the immune system.
The whole world love Marie Sharp's, indeed.
In 1980, Marie Sharp came up with some recipes for sauces, jams, and jellies while experimenting with fresh Habanero peppers, vegetables, and fruits from her farm. She was overwhelmed with positive feedback and encouragement when neighbors and friends tasted them. In 1981, she decided to turn it into a family business.
Initially, Marie Sharp started their production in a small kitchen with help from relatives and an employee. Sharp noticed that all the commercially produced jams, jellies and marmalade, in Belize, were manufactured from non-tropical fruits. She saw that her farm had surplus fruit and began producing and marketing her natural product made without preservatives. Marie Sharp cross pollinated the flavorful habanero with the Jamaican Red pepper to get the bright red habanero that we have in Belize today.
In 1985, a factory was built to meet the growing demand, today it also serves as a popular tourist destination. The first consignment of Marie Sharp’s pepper sauce arrived in the United States in 1986. With a determined business frame of mind, the factory in Stann Creek, Belize, has seen huge growth, manufacturing for both the local and international markets. Her pepper sauce was the first commercially successful agricultural product manufactured in and exported from Belize, under the name of "Melinda’s Hot Sauce". The American distributor trademarked the name and she later re-branded the product to “Marie Sharp’s” in exchange for being released from her exclusive contract with the distributor. This was the right move as her product has become the most widely distributed Belizean product worldwide.
The name was trademarked by persons trying to profit from her products once more in the US and once in Shanghai, China and each time was settled legally. The famous Tabasco Sauce even took her to court saying her triangle logo was too similar to their diamond label. Marie Sharp replaced her label with a heart you see on the bottle today. This was again the right move as she was then placed posters in the stores that read "The whole world loves Marie Sharp's!".
Marie Sharp's family-owned business takes great pride and honor in producing products with the highest quality, living up to their slogan, “Proud Products of Belize”. The tourists that come to Belize can be found lugging suitcases full of Marie Sharp's classic fiery habanero pepper sauce on their return from visits home. Belizeans have taken to the product and are proud to show it off as their own. In April 2016, she was inducted into the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame and the product continues to expand its global reach, producing new flavors of products.
In her book, What Happened, former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Marie Sharp's the best pepper sauce she has ever tasted. She had become a fan of hot sauce in 1992 when she read research that shows pepper sauce boost the immune system.
The whole world love Marie Sharp's, indeed.