Startup CPG Newswire:
Heatonist and Cantina Royal Bring Epazote to Hot Sauce for in a Limited Collaboration

PRESS RELEASE — NEWS PROVIDED BY Diana Beshara for Cantina Royal Hot Sauce

BROOKLYN, NY (APRIL 2026) — Epazote, a pungent, aromatic herb central to Mexican home cooking for centuries, has never appeared in a commercial hot sauce…until now.

To celebrate the 11th anniversary of Brooklyn’s first hot sauce shop, Heatonist — the leading hot sauce retailer in the United States and the official sauce partner of Hot Ones — partnered with Cantina Royal Hot Sauce — the Brooklyn-born, chef-driven brand rooted in Mexican culinary tradition — to release a one-of-a-kind new hot sauce. The result is a limited-release collaboration that expands the realm of hot sauce flavors.

Heatonist No. Eleven by Cantina Royal pairs epazote with toasted pepitas, serrano, habanero, and ghost pepper. The flavor moves through layers: nutty and richly herbal up front, building to a slow, deep heat. It’s a sauce built for layered flavor first, with heat as the payoff — not the point of entry.

“Every year we have the privilege of partnering with one of our favorite small batch sauce makers to create something totally unique, and Cantina Royal absolutely nailed it with HEATONIST No. Eleven. It’s rich, spicy, herbal… There isn’t a food it doesn’t taste good on.” — Noah Chaimberg, Founder & CEO, Heatonist

Cantina Royal was founded by Chef Julio MM and Diana Beshara, growing out of their Williamsburg, Brooklyn restaurant of the same name. What began as a beloved neighborhood spot became the culinary foundation for a packaged goods brand — one that carries the restaurant’s commitment to authentic Mexican technique and bold, intentional flavor into every bottle.

For this collaboration, Chef Julio MM developed the sauce to spotlight epazote — an herb he knows from professional kitchens but that has never crossed into commercial condiment production. Paired with toasted pepitas for richness and body, it creates a flavor profile that is grounded in Mexican culinary tradition and genuinely new to the hot sauce category.

“Epazote has incredible depth that most people in the U.S. have never encountered in a packaged product. In the kitchen, it’s essential — it belongs in black beans, in quesillo, in mole. Pairing it with toasted pepitas let us bring that same authenticity into something completely new for the category.” — Chef Julio MM, Co-Founder & Executive Chef, Cantina Royal Hot Sauce

Heatonist anniversary releases have developed a dedicated collector following, with each year’s release spotlighting a never-before-seen-ingredient in the craft hot sauce space. The 11th anniversary edition marks Cantina Royal’s first collaboration with the retailer.

Heatonist No. Eleven by Cantina Royal is available in limited quantities beginning April 20, 2026, exclusively through Heatonist’s NYC retail locations and online at https://heatonist.com/products/heatonist-no-11-anniversary-hot-sauce

About Cantina Royal Hot Sauce

Cantina Royal Hot Sauce is a Brooklyn-born, chef-driven brand rooted in Mexican culinary tradition. Founded by Chef Julio MM and Diana Beshara, it grew out of their Williamsburg restaurant, bringing bold, ingredient-driven flavor into packaged form. Known for inventive sauces made with high-quality, often underutilized ingredients, Cantina Royal has built a following among chefs and heat seekers. cantinaroyalhotsauce.com

Heatonist is a leading U.S. hot sauce retailer and the official partner of Hot Ones, known for curating innovative craft sauces and championing emerging brands. heatonist.com

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