SECRET AARDVARK

Secret Aardvark Trading Co. was founded in 2004 by creative and culinary genius Scott Moritz. His love of travel, surfing, making music and telling stories was matched only by his passion for discovering the flavors of the world. We began hocking sauce at Portland farmer’s markets and now we’re in over 300 (and counting) roadhouses, eateries, and groceries from here to New York City, proudly gracing tables where the food matters, but the decor may not.

Scott’s life in food began when he entered a chili cook-off at age thirteen. He went on to start a pie company, several catering businesses, a tamale cart, and was a co-founder of Portland’s own Salvador Molly’s. Friends and family always coveted a spot at Scott’s table, where you never knew what delicious and unforgettable dishes (and tales) would emerge from the kitchen. His adventures ended far too soon when we lost him to pancreatic cancer in 2009. Scott’s passing left us to carry forward his dream of sharing his unique, flavorful, and affordable sauces with the world. And we are proud to do so.

The story of the Secret Aardvark

When he was in his late teens, Scott and his friends read an editorial in the local paper that outlined the “Nine ways to identify a gang“. They thought the article was so ridiculous (as it only stereotyped social groups) that they wrote a satirical letter to the editor claiming to be a part of a gang called the “Secret Aardvarks”. The paper took them seriously and published a warning about the new gang, and he laughed about it until years later when he deemed his hot sauce worthy of the name. If you know, you know.