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Episode 09: From Backyard Heat to Global Tables — Randy Pulayya on Building West Indies Pepper Sauce with Heart
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Company Stats
Guest: Randy Pulayya, Founder
Industry: Food & Beverage / Consumer Packaged Goods
Company: West Indies Pepper Sauce (WIPS)
Focus: Caribbean-inspired premium hot sauces rooted in family tradition
Tech Stack: DTC e-commerce, culinary branding, event marketing, food media (Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition)
Episode Highlights
✅ Randy shares how a childhood steeped in Caribbean culture inspired the bold flavors of West Indies Pepper Sauce.
✅ Discover how he turned local farmers markets and BBQs into a national brand with real cultural resonance.
✅ Go behind the scenes of Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition—and what it meant for WIPS to be featured.
✅ Randy explains why flavor-first sauce is the key to repeat customers (and not just heat seekers).
✅ Learn how storytelling, community ties, and legacy drive his long-term vision.
Episode Summary
In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins dives into a spicy success story with Randy Pulayya, the founder of West Indies Pepper Sauce (WIPS). What began as a family tradition and neighborhood favorite has now become one of the most buzzworthy new brands in the hot sauce market.
Randy opens up about growing up in a Caribbean-American household, where his father’s cooking and cultural pride laid the groundwork for the flavors that now define WIPS. He shares the journey from early days at pop-ups and local tastings to being featured on Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition, a pivotal moment that supercharged the brand’s visibility.
More than a story about sauce, this episode explores authentic branding, cultural heritage, and generational impact. Randy gives insight into how he’s scaling without selling out, building customer loyalty through storytelling, and using food as a bridge between past and future.
Notable Questions We Asked
Q: What’s the origin story of West Indies Pepper Sauce?
A: It started in my dad’s kitchen. I just put a brand around the legacy he built with every Sunday dinner.
Q: How did being on Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition change the game for you?
A: It was surreal. It gave us validation, exposure, and a boost we couldn’t have engineered.
Q: What makes WIPS different in a crowded market?
A: Flavor, not just fire. We want people to finish the bottle—not just survive it.
Q: How do you stay true to your roots as you grow?
A: I keep my dad’s picture in the kitchen and his voice in my head: “Make it with love, or don’t make it.”
Q: What’s next for the brand?
A: Going global while staying grounded. Expanding into retail and international shipping—but always keeping the culture at the center.
Chapters
00:00 – Intro & Meet Randy
01:20 – Childhood Flavors & Cultural Foundations
03:00 – From Farmers Markets to Food Media
05:30 – The Hot Ones Effect: Hype Meets Heritage
08:00 – Why Flavor > Fire in Product Design
10:00 – Building a Brand with Soul, Not Just Strategy
13:00 – The Legacy of Reggae Randy & Father-Son Roots
15:30 – Selling Sauce, Sharing Story
18:00 – Scaling with Authenticity in CPG
21:00 – Food as Cultural Currency
24:00 – Future Visions: From Small Batch to Global Shelf
26:30 – Final Advice for Founders with a Mission
Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of The Innovator’s Impact. Want to stay inspired by more tech-forward business stories? Subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen—and don’t forget to leave us a review. Your feedback helps us keep delivering powerful conversations with real-world innovators! And and you can learn more about our work at 81westcyber.com
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