Our Story

Mike’s Hot Honey is America’s leading brand of hot honey. Founded in 2010 by Mike Kurtz, the brand was born from a desire to create and share the highest quality honey infused with chili peppers. Mike began drizzling his signature hot honey on pizzas at the Brooklyn pizzeria where he worked, and customers started to ask if they could buy bottles to take home.

Mike’s Hot Honey became a word-of-mouth sensation, sparking the creation of a new category of honey. Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Mike’s Hot Honey can now be found on restaurant menus and retail shelves across the US.

Mike in front of the pizza oven at Paulie Gee's circa 2010

Mike in front of the pizza oven at Paulie Gee's circa 2010.

The Honey Timeline

November 2003

While studying abroad in Brazil, Mike visits a pizzeria where he finds jars of honey with chilies sitting on the tables for drizzling on pies. He falls in love with the unique flavor profile of the honey and is blown away by how good it tastes on pizza.

December 2004

After months of experimentation with chili pepper-honey infusions, Mike settles on a recipe for his original honey infused with chili peppers and gives out jars to friends and family as holiday gifts, dubbing it Mike's Hot Honey.

August 2010

While apprenticing at Paulie Gee's pizzeria in Brooklyn, Mike brings in a bottle of Mike's Hot Honey for Paulie to taste on a pizza. Paulie loves the combo and asks Mike to produce small batches for the pizzeria to drizzle on their pies. The Hellboy pie, with hot soppressata and a drizzle of MHH, becomes an instant hit.

November 2010

Following repeated requests from customers, Mike begins bottling and selling 12 oz bottles of Mike's Hot Honey off of the bar at Paulie Gee's.

June 2013

Mike's Hot Honey launches 1.88 oz Mini Jars for weddings, gift baskets and party favors, the first MHH product small enough to carry on a plane!

January 2015

CBS This Morning airs feature news segment on Mike's Hot Honey introducing the brand to millions of Americans across the country.

November 2016

Mike's Hot Honey unveils a complete brand refresh with new packaging across all SKUs, garnering praise from retailers and consumers alike and earning a Pentaward for excellence in packaging design.

December 2016

The 24 oz Chef's Bottle is launched for foodservice, designed for busy kitchens and fast-paced drizzling.

2017

Fifth Down Capital completes Series A investment in Mike’s Hot Honey.

March 2017

Mike's Hot Honey launches 0.75 oz Squeeze Packets for delivery, takeout and meal kits.

October 2017

Mike's Hot Honey opens its first holiday kiosk in Bryant Park, NYC featuring the hanging of the very first MHH Neon Sign. The sign, designed by Robbie Ingui of Artistic Neon, is the first of dozens of MHH neons that hang in pizzeria windows across the country.

June 2018

The Mike's Trike hits the mean streets of NYC, passing out samples of MHH at events throughout the Five Boroughs.

January 2019

MHH launches in DOT Foods making our products widely available to restaurants across the country.

June 2019

Mike's Hot Honey Fried Chicken opens inside the legendary Madison Square Garden, serving up MHH fried chicken sandwiches and wings to sports fans and concert goers. Read more

April 2020

MHH launches dip cups for foodservice servicing pizzerias across the country with to-go / delivery-ready packaging as they adjust to conditions of the global pandemic. Read more

July 2020

MHH launches new Extra Hot flavor bringing an even hotter kick to the brand's signature honey infused with chili peppers. See here

August 2020

Mike's Hot Honey celebrates its 10th Anniversary with a limited edition t-shirt designed to commemorate the brand's history and culture. See here

November 2020

The Mike's Hot Honey Gift Box launches exclusively on Amazon. Catering to a growing consumer demand for online gifting options, the gift box features special, limited edition Mike's Hot Honey Candied Pecans, a 10 oz bottle of Mike's Hot Honey, a stick of Busseto Spicy Soppressata, La Panzanella Croccantini Crackers and the official Mike's Hot Honey Recipe Book.

October 2021

Mike's Hot Honey launches the brand's first Wheat Paste campaign in NYC.

December 2021

Maille x Mike's Hot Honey launch brand's first ever co-branded retail product: Maille Hot Honey Dijon mustard made with Mike's Hot Honey.

September 2022

Imperial Stash: Mike's Hot Honey Cider made by Austin Eastciders launches in bars and retailers.

April 2023

Footwear brand Ewing Athletics partners with Mike's Hot Honey to release the Hot Honey Sport Lite sneaker.

May 2023

Utz & Mike's Hot Honey combine forces to launch a Mike's Hot Honey-flavored potato chip.

October 2023

Mike's Hot Honey is added to the menu in over 1000 Marco's Pizza locations nationwide with the launch of the Hot Honey Magnifico pizza.

#mikeshothoney

Paulie Gee and Mike on the Mike's Trike, 2019

Giovanni Cesarano at King Umberto, 2018

Scarr Pimentel of Scarr's Pizza, 2018

Claudia Gagliardi at White Star Bar, 2018

Mark Bello at Pizza School NYC, 2017

Paulie Gee at Paulie Gee's Slice Shop, 2018

Crystal Lee at Present Plate Supper Club, 2017

Henrique Stangorlini at Beco Bar, 2017

Luiz Santos, Henrique Stangorlini, Mike and Johnny Chavarria at Beco Bar, 2017

Tom DeGrezia at Sofia Wine Bar, 2018

Mike making a pie at Rosco's Pizza, 2017

Our Ingredients

Pure Honey, Chilies, Vinegar.

A balanced combination of pure, high quality ingredients, Mike's Hot Honey is naturally gluten-free, shelf stable at room temperature and by nature, never expires.

Quality Matters

Mike's Hot Honey uses only high quality, pure honey sourced from the US, Argentina and Brazil. We test each batch of honey to authenticate its origin and purity.