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Some like it hot!
John 'CaJohn' Hard and Sue Hard are the founders of Zia Chile Traders, a New Mexico–based specialty food company rooted in a deep love of chile, flavour, and regional tradition.
John, widely known in the fiery-foods world as 'CaJohn' brings decades of experience and international recognition as an award-winning sauce maker and Hot Sauce Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated for his creativity and respect for authentic heat.
Together with Sue—his partner in both life and business—they built Zia Chile Traders to showcase the bold, distinctive character of New Mexican chiles, crafting sauces, salsas, and pantry staples that honour local ingredients, culinary heritage, and uncompromising quality.
Hot Sauces
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History favours the bold
John 'CaJohn' Hard is an internationally acclaimed sauce maker whose creations have earned countless awards across the global hot sauce circuit.
With decades of innovation behind him, his sauces are celebrated for their balance, depth of flavour, and masterful use of heat rather than gimmicks. Widely referred to as 'the Godfather of Hot Sauce', John has played a defining role in shaping the modern hot sauce movement, setting standards that many makers follow today.
His legacy is built not only on winning sauces, but on his influence, expertise, and unwavering commitment to craftsmanship in fiery foods.
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Salsas
