Flower City Flavor Company

Flower City Flavor Company is a specialty food retailer in the Irondequoit section of Rochester, NY, focused on hot sauces, flavored olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and seasonings. Founded in November 2017 by Chris Whitehair, the shop draws on a family tradition in the Rochester food scene — Whitehair's relatives have owned several area restaurants, including Mama Rosa's, Clemente's, and Jozeppi's Pizzeria. The business operates out of two brick-and-mortar locations and an online store, with its Titus Avenue shop situated inside Irondequoit Pharmacy at Titus Mall.

The store stocks over 500 varieties of hot sauce spanning dozens of brands, including Karma Sauce, Angry Goat Pepper Co, Jersey Barnfire, and High River Sauces. Beyond hot sauce, the inventory covers:

• Flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars made with real ingredients rather than artificial flavoring
• BBQ sauces, seasonings, jerky, and other condiments
• A Bourbon Barrel Malt Vinegar aged in barrels sourced from Iron Smoke Distillery, a product exclusive to the shop
• Mix-and-match hot sauce boxes, allowing customers to build custom variety packs

Flower City Flavor Company products have also reached larger retail shelves, with select items carried at Wegmans and Walmart.

Flower City Flavor Company has built its identity as Rochester's largest dedicated hot sauce retailer, with a catalog that few local competitors match in depth. The shop's house-branded olive oils and vinegars set it apart from typical hot sauce stores by emphasizing whole, real-ingredient formulations. Its Bourbon Barrel Malt Vinegar — a collaboration with Rochester-area Iron Smoke Distillery — reflects the business's focus on locally connected, small-batch products.

The Titus Avenue location sits inside Titus Mall at 545 Titus Ave in Irondequoit, NY, sharing space with Irondequoit Pharmacy and adjacent to New Ethic Pizzeria & Cafe. The storefront faces Hudson Avenue. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the shop is closed on Sundays. Texting is the preferred contact method, as staff are not always on-site. A second location operates at 1832 Monroe Avenue in the Brighton neighborhood of Rochester.