We have some pretty awesome news to share! Last night at the beautiful Fairmont Grand Del Mar, our co-founder Jacklyn Little-Parhar took home San Diego Magazine’s “Rising Star” award in the Food + Beverage category at the 2026 Celebrating Women Summit.
We announced back in August on our Instagram that Jacklyn was nominated as a finalist, so hearing her name called on stage after all the community voting was an incredible moment for our whole team.
If you aren’t familiar with the event, San Diego Magazine hosts the annual Celebrating Women Summit to recognize women making a meaningful impact across different industries throughout San Diego County. The Rising Star award specifically highlights up-and-comers doing inspiring, transformative work in their fields.
Why San Diego Voted: What Drives San Diego Pepper Company
A few key highlights that helped bring this award home to San Diego Pepper Company:
- Flavor Over Fire: Staying true to our core mission of creating craft hot sauces that elevate meals and focus on balanced, delicious taste rather than just extreme heat. Check out our full hot sauce lineup to taste the difference.
- Giving Back to San Diego: Supporting local animal rescues—like our ongoing partnership with The Animal Pad through our popular Spicy Pupper Sauce—and keeping our local coastal corridors clean through the Caltrans Adopt-A-Highway program. We just added the Santa Fe I-5 South ramps to our regular cleanup schedule!
- Rapidly Expanding Sales Channels & Retail Footprint: Reaching hot sauce lovers across San Diego and nationwide by landing local grocery placement at Lazy Acres Natural Market and expanding our online reach with our official storefront on Amazon. We’ve also expanded our sales platform to champion and sell for other fantastic local San Diego brands, including San Diego Honey Company, Oaksteak BBQ, Bungoyaki Teriyaki Sauce, and Durtyburn Chili Oils.
- Supporting Local Retail & Neighborhood Partnerships: Creating new revenue streams for small independent retailers across San Diego and collaborating with local favorites—like 619 Spirits in North Park, who feature our hot sauce in their famous Bloody Mary mix and stock our bottles right on their retail shelves.
- Grassroots San Diego Growth: Growing our business from a simple honeymoon idea into local neighborhood markets, cafes, and specialty shops across San Diego, completely self-funded and built from the ground up. Read more about our story.
A Win for America’s Finest City
This award is a massive nod to everything Jacklyn does behind the scenes. From dialing in that perfect San Diego flavor profile to staying connected with the local shop owners and stockists who carry our products, she’s the driving force behind our growth.
But really, we see this as a win for the whole San Diego food and beverage community. We love being a local craft hot sauce company right here in SD, and we’re constantly inspired by the local chefs, craft brewers, and artisans who make this city’s food scene so special. It was a true honor for Jacklyn to be recognized alongside so many inspiring female leaders and entrepreneurs across San Diego County.
A massive thank you to San Diego Magazine for hosting such a memorable night, and congratulations to all the other Pioneers and Rising Star nominees!
And most importantly, thank you to everyone in the San Diego community who voted for Jacklyn and continues to support us. Whether you’re grabbing a bottle for your morning California burrito, topping off fresh Baja fish tacos after a surf, or pairing our sauce with your favorite West Coast IPA, your support means the world to us.
Cheers to Jacklyn! We can’t wait to show you what we’re cooking up next.
Where to Find San Diego Pepper Company Near You
Looking to stock up on San Diego’s favorite craft hot sauce? You can easily order online through our San Diego Pepper Company Shop or use our Store Locator to find a local retailer or bottle shop near you in North Park, Ocean Beach, Encinitas, Del Mar, or Downtown San Diego.
