SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (WDBJ) – Frankie Martinez started his hot sauce business over two years ago, and we’ve been following his journey ever since.
From being put in the hot seat by the Virginia Department of Agriculture to having to start from scratch, he’s still going and even got his hot sauce FDA-approved.
“There’s definitely been a couple of times that I’ve thought of giving up, but I’ve just got to keep pushing,” said Frankie Martinez, owner of Frankie’s Spicy Farm.
Since starting Frankie’s Spicy Farm, he’s sold over 2,000 bottles of No AC, It’s Hot and Smooth Heat.
“It’s made by a kid for kids, or people that don’t like hot sauce. You’re gonna get little to no kick and you’re going to get way more flavor. That’s why you should give my hot sauce a try,” added Martinez.
In case you are a fan of heat, he’s halfway to his goal of $4,000 to be able to launch his spiciest hot sauce yet – Blowtorch.
“For those who like spicy, this one’s going to be for you because it’s going to have very spicy peppers like Carolina Reapers and Ghost Peppers,” said Martinez.
Any money he makes from sales goes right back into the business.
Whenever Frankie’s not out winning hot sauce competitions or marketing at conventions, he’s playing video games like any other kid. But there’s one area he focuses on to the highest degree.
“School is definitely number one,” explained Martinez.
At 11 years old, Frankie is already in 8th grade and on track to graduate high school with an associate’s degree by 16. His recipe for success? Dedication.
“You can’t stop at all. You have to be going from place, to place, to place. You just have to be consistent. Some days you’ll have bad ones, some days you’ll have good ones and you’ve just got to do good in it,” said Martinez.
To help him reach his goal and try the hot sauce for yourself, visit his website.
Copyright 2025 WDBJ. All rights reserved.