So what is vegan hot sauce, anyways?

Small Axe Peppers is used to getting our hands dirty with folks from all walks of life. Consequentially, we’ve learned to embrace folks all races, religions, and of course, food preferences.

And like us, our hot sauces do not discriminate. In fact, they are cooked up to accommodate plates and cuisines of all types.

If you want to smother your chicken wings with The Bronx Green Hot Sauce, then be our guest. Want to a couple droplets of Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce on your morning eggs for a speedy start to the day? Go for it.

However, just because you can use our hot sauce on animal or dairy products doesn’t mean that we don’t respect lifestyle choices for those that choose not consume animal products.

That’s right, Small Axe Peppers is proud to be a very vegan-friendly brand.

Want proof?

Well, that’s easy — none of the ingredients (which consists primarily peppers grown in a community garden near you) used in any of our sauces are made from animal products. Which means that, yes, all of Small Axe Peppers’ products are actually vegan hot sauces. 

What does vegan really mean?

Well, before we define vegan hot sauce, let’s first say a little bit about what veganism really is. Although you are likely seeing the word thrown around all over the place these days, you may not even be aware of what it means to be vegan and where the movement originated.

So what does vegan mean?

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals.

What are the origins of the vegan movement?

Well, before we get into the nitty-gritty of the origins of the veganism, let’s first take a look at its plant-based predecessor — vegetarianism.

Believe it or not, the practice of vegetarianism dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization in 3300–1300 BCE. Some of the earliest recorded vegetarians included Indian philosophers, poets and even some emperors.

Meanwhile, it was also taking root in ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, advocated by prolific philosophers, playwrights and mathematicians. One notable one, the triangle master himself — Pythagorus.

Fast forward a few hundred years and things get a little more official. It all started at the The Alcott House, a British utopian spiritual community and progressive school known for all kinds of wackiness.

But one of their biggest claims to fame is launching the modern day vegetarian movement. Officially established as the UK Vegetarian Society, the paths towards veganism were being paved.

From vegetarian to vegan

One of the earliest known vegans was an Arab poet al-Maʿarri, whose practice was based on personal health, the transmigration of souls, animal welfare, and the view that if humans deserve justice, then so do animals. Of course, at the time the term vegan hardly existed.

It wasn’t until members requested that a section of its newsletter be devoted to non-dairy vegetarianism, that the term ‘vegan’ was first coined.

The inspiration for the name?

By using the first three and last two letters of ‘vegetarian’, it symbolized the beginning and end of vegetarian.

Some of the other terms they considered in place of “non-dairy vegetarian” suggested were: allvega, neo vegetarian,  dairyban,  vitan,  benevore, sanivores, and beaumangeur.  

So what is vegan hot sauce?

That’s easy. Any hot sauce that follows the rules of veganism. Which means in addition to not including any meat, hot sauces that do not use by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, or anything else derived from animal product (that’s right , honey is not vegan).

In working with community gardens in cities all across the United States, Small Axe Peppers joins hands will people from all walks of life. Working with such an array of activists, horticulturists, community organizers, gardeners, foodies, etc. we have learned to embrace folks all races, religions, and of course, food preferences.

Consequentially, our hot sauces do not discriminate. In fact, they are cooked up to accommodate plates and cuisines of all types. If you want to smother your chicken wings with The Bronx Green Hot Sauce, then be our guest. Want to a couple droplets of Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce on your morning eggs for a speedy start to the day? Go for it.