Good forFood & drink lovers
Texas Pete hot sauce has been made in Winston-Salem since the 1930s by the family-owned T.W. Garner Food Company, which traces to a barbecue stand Thad Garner bought in 1929; the hot sauce was first sold commercially in 1936 and the brothers formed T.W. Garner Food Company in 1946, registering the 'Texas Pete' trademark on June 9, 1953. The 'Pete' is the nickname of son Harold Garner; patriarch Sam Garner rejected the proposed name 'Mexican Joe,' insisting on an American name.
Quick facts
- ·Company still operates from its original Winston-Salem plant (a building dated to 1942 per multiple local sources; Wikipedia does not confirm the year).
- ·As of 2022 it was the 7th-best-selling hot sauce in the U.S.
- ·Not a public-tour attraction — landmark value is as the home of a regionally iconic product.
- ·A 2022 class-action over the 'Texas' name (sauce is made in NC, not TX) is part of the lore.
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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.