This is an installment in a multi-part series.
Dave Seaborn, entrepreneur and producer of Seaborn Hot Sauce, waited patiently behind his stand at the Iowa City Farmers Market last Saturday as the shoppers milled about. His setup was simple: a banner, a small table, and various neatly arranged hot sauces.
Turns out, a flashy exterior isn’t needed when the product speaks for itself — the hot sauce had no trouble attracting customers. The stand seemed almost magnetic. Upon seeing the sauce, customers couldn’t help but walk over for a sample.
The weekly Iowa City Farmers Market has been in full swing this season, with the city’s residents eagerly buzzing from stall to stall. Local families and students occupied most of the space, navigating between a mixture of small businesses and locally grown produce. The aroma of freshly baked goods wafted through the air as people strolled, chatting, and sipping from iced coffees.
“I’m usually pretty busy,” Seaborn said. “A couple of people come early, but my customer flow really picks up at around 10.”
Before the sauce business, Seaborn worked as a carpenter in San Francisco, California. For approximately 20 years, he has been canning his own hot sauces. For the past three years, he has been selling and moving on from his old job. The ingredients are grown locally from his garden, and he uses a greenhouse to guarantee the authentic freshness of his product.
Iowa City’s market isn’t his only place of business, either. Seaborn also sells at markets in Cedar Rapids, Shellsburg, Benton, and Waynesburg, spreading his product throughout Iowa.
Seaborn Hot Sauce produces an array of sauces, all with varying spice levels. However, they all share a common theme — flavor comes first. Whether it’s a smoky apple or spicy tomato, Seaborn’s Hot Sauce prioritizes taste over the common “burn your tongue off” heat in many hot sauces nowadays.
“It was a nice balance,” Derek Gunn, a weekly regular at the market, said. “I thought it was very good. It was smoky, not just liquid spice.”
This reaction came as no surprise to Seaborn. When it comes to samples, his ultimate selling point thrives, he needs nothing more than pure flavor to sell his product.
“When people sample, I have a pretty high sales ratio. It’s over 80 to 90 percent when customers try it first,” Seaborn said.
Seaborn’s philosophy was put to the test as roaming market-goers approached his stand.
“As soon as I took a bite, I knew I was going to get it,” Taylor Strand, a customer strolling around the market who’d stopped at the sight of the sauce, said.
Strand was accompanied by fellow patron Isaac Tompkins.
“It’s hard to find a hot sauce that doesn’t taste like every other hot sauce ever, and it can actually be set apart from other brands,” he said.
Although the hot sauce continues to be a hit among those who try it, Seaborn plans to stay a small batch business. The growth he’s focused on most is expanding his customizable appeal.
Seaborn Hot Sauce also offers customizable batches and labels. These labels allow customers to place any message they want onto their personalized hot sauce bottle.
“Everyone likes a different heat level,” he said. “I want to bring something for everyone; hot, mild, medium, and all in between. I want it to be more personalized.”