FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Always Flavored, Fredericksburg’s hometown hot sauce sensation, has just bottled its first batch of legendary sauce on-site at its new bistro and market on Caroline Street—a fiery milestone years in the making.
Until now, founder and flavor architect Rita Witte has handcrafted her sauces in a fully built-out commercial kitchen at home. Now, for the first time, her small-batch sauces are made, bottled, and sold all under one roof at 619 Caroline Street, across the street from the brand’s former location.
The company celebrated the occasion with a social media post calling it a “huge win for the AF family” and a sign they’re “heading to the next level.”
A Growing Flavor Empire
The expanded space—about 1,400 square feet larger than the previous storefront—not only houses a gourmet sandwich bistro and retail space, but also accommodates tastings, events, and now full-scale production of their hot sauces and seasonings.
This comes on the heels of another major move: Always Flavored struck a retail deal with Food Lion, placing their products in 276 stores across Virginia. That means heat-seekers from Roanoke to Richmond can now find Rita’s bold creations on shelves statewide.
The Sauce Lineup
Always Flavored offers a unique and ever-growing lineup of sauces with playful names and intense personalities. Their current offerings include:
- Wrath of Rita – A blazing combo of Carolina Reapers, Ghost Peppers, Habaneros, mango, and pineapple
- Ritabeata’s Hot Sauce – Serrano, habanero, and jalapeño peppers with a vinegar-garlic-honey twist
- Ritabeata’s Mild Hot Sauce – A gentler green version for everyday flavor
- Sweet Virginia Love BBQ Sauce – A smooth, sweet, and smoky barbecue blend
- Ritabeata’s Thai Chili Sauce – Bold Thai flavors with a fiery finish
- Brady’s Tequila Sunrise – A boozy twist on your usual burn
- Ritabeata’s Peri-Peri – A zesty nod to the African classic
- Good Intentions with Bad Principals – Complex and clever, like its name
- Pissed Off Kristoff – Angry by name, fiery by nature
- Better Together Korean BBQ Sauce – Sweet, savory, and stick-to-your-ribs good
- Signal One – Built to bring the heat, fast
- The DADLIEST BATCH – A limited-edition scorcher
All sauces are all-natural, gluten-free, and fermented for deeper flavor.
Always Flavored, which just relocated its restaurant to the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, will now have its custom sauces available in Food Lion stores.
Owner Rita Witte said her journey started at farmers' markets and festivals, with the company quickly gaining traction. Their sauces soon appeared on several local store shelves, including the Fredericksburg Food Co-op. In November 2022, Always Flavored opened its first brick-and-mortar location, offering sandwiches made with their custom flavors. The product line has since grown to over 12 sauces and 15 seasonings.
