NEWKS POPULAR HOT SAUCE BRAND GETS NEW RETAIL SPACE IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Tina Sillers/Director of Media Relations
tina@portlandalliance.com
Newks Hot Sauce Brings Flair & Flavors like Elderfire Mango, Smokey Chipotle & ‘Kinda Mild' to Downtown Portland for the Holiday Season
December 4, 2024 (Portland, Ore.): Jake Newcomb’s retail space in Downtown Portland has a mixed vibe. Think cool record shop meets high end specialty gift store in a funky setting with what else, red and green chili peppers painted on a green accent wall.
For the first time ever, Newks Hot Sauce has a storefront brick and mortar location, where all of the sauces, merch, collaborations and specialty items are on display.
Jake dabbled in crafting different varieties of hot sauce for years specializing in small batches he would gift to family and friends. After the pandemic, Jake, who was a sound engineer in the music industry, was forced to make a career change. He raised $1,000 from a Kickstarter campaign in 2021 to buy equipment and other necessary supplies and Newk’s Hot Sauce was born.
Flavors like The Blazin’ Raisin, Groovy Green made with apples and jalapenos, and a collaboration with Grillo’s Pickles, can now be found in restaurants, markets and specialty shops across the country, including more than 40 locations spanning Oregon and Washington.
“Newks works because we’ve got a great product and a genuine connection with underground artists and culture—it just clicks with Portland in particular, and counterculture in general,” Jake says. He has teamed up with various bands from his music days and others like Chocolate Skateboards and Grillo’s Pickles.
"Newks is one of my favorite brands out there,” says Eddie Mellow, Vice President of Grillo’s. “The quality of the ingredients and flavor of the sauce speak for itself. It’s not easy starting a brand but when you stay true to yourself and support the things you love, people can feel that. It helps make it more than just a hot sauce."
Jake believes these collabs helped the brand grow and connect with wider audiences. “Nothing’s ever been forced or calculated, like trying to piggyback off bigger brands. It all happened naturally through friendships and connections that go way back.”
Newk’s Holiday Pop-Up is located at Morgan’s Alley in Downtown Portland now through December 23rd. Newks is one of eight small businesses participating in this year’s Downtown Portland Clean & Safe’s PDX Pop-Up program this holiday season.
“We are honored to have incredible nationally recognized brands like Newks join us this year. The PDX Pop-Up Shops are a treasured tradition during the holiday season in downtown Portland," said Sydney Mead, Senior Director of Downtown Programs for Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. "Now in its 15th year, this program has helped shape the retail landscape downtown. The Pop-Up Shops provide a unique opportunity for shoppers to discover small, emerging local businesses alongside their favorite brands and classic downtown staples.”
This project is a part of the Visit Downtown Campaign, a collaborative marketing effort by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, Portland Metro Chamber, and the City of Portland.
Learn more about our participating businesses here.
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The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District provides enhanced services to the people, places and businesses within a core 213-block area of our central city.