Episode 477: Luke Lenz of Papa Caps Foods - Plainfield, IL. Just When I Thought I Understood the Hot Sauce Community. [FOOD] Pranks with a Spicy Ending. Once You’ve Gone Hot [SAUCE] You Don’t Go Back.

Welcome to an exciting and flavorful episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show! Host Justin Bizzarro is joined by the passionate and inventive Luke Lenz, the founder of Papa Caps Foods. Luke takes us on his spicy journey, which began with a childhood love for hot foods sparked by his prankster aunt who would challenge him to spicy eating contests. This early inspiration ignited a passion that eventually led to the creation of his unique hot sauce company.

Dive into the imaginative world of Papa Caps Foods as Luke reveals that his brand is more than just about hot sauce; it's an "experience company." Drawing inspiration from his fascination with alternate reality games, he infuses a sense of adventure and challenge into his brand. Discover the intricate stories and characters he's crafted for each of his sauces, like the "Sweet Reaper," born from a tale of a soul-stealing reaper, and his best-selling "Caribbean Lime," a happy accident that became a fan favorite. Luke’s creative process extends to developing sauces that are not only flavorful but also cater to various dietary needs, with a focus on creating both sweet and savory options.

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the entrepreneurial grind. Luke shares his experiences starting under cottage food laws and navigating the complexities of licensing to sell across state lines. He emphasizes the incredible sense of community and mentorship within the hot sauce industry, crediting fellow creators from Gindo's Hot Sauce, Mikey V's Foods, and Angry Irishman for their guidance and support. He also opens up about the challenges of balancing a full-time job with his growing business, the risk of burnout, and the invaluable lessons learned from his business coach about working smarter, not just harder.

Whether you're a die-hard chilihead, an aspiring food entrepreneur, or just someone who loves a great story, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to get a taste of the exciting and expanding world of craft hot sauces and learn about the creativity, perseverance, and community that fuel a brand like Papa Caps Foods.

 

IG: @papacapsfoods

Address: www.papacapsfoods.com 

 

Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast

 

Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )

 

Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.

 

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Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?

 

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