The Man Behind the World's Hottest Pepper | Smokin' Ed Currie and Marc Beckman
11/12/24 • 48 min
The hot pepper business is en fuego! While total market size in the United States stood at about $1.28 billion in 2022, predictably, it will continue to grow as the chili pepper has become an American kitchen staple. Although multinational corporations like the Kraft Heinz Company, McCormick, Campbell, and Unilever lead the way, the next tier of privately held businesses are catching up, fueled by innovation, trends, and leaning into the diversification of American cultural taste demands.
Enter Smokin' Ed Currie, the most famous pepper breeder on the planet. In fact, Ed's farm grows more than 100,000 pepper plants annually. A modern day Gregor Mendel, this three-time Guinness Book World of Records holder has created the world's hottest chilis: the Carolina Reaper, and the current hottie of hotties, Pepper X.
In this episode, Marc speaks with Ed Currie, founder and president of the Pucker Butt Pepper Company. Ed shares his journey from learning about plants from his mother to becoming an innovator in the pepper farming industry. During the discussion, Ed reveals insights into his sustainable farming practices, the scientific methods he uses to create super hot peppers, and his record-breaking pepper, Pepper X.
He also touches on the health benefits of capsaicin, the impact of hurricanes on his farm, and the growth of hot sauce popularity in the U.S. Ed's personal stories, including the adoption of his children and living in a Frank Lloyd Wright home, add a heartfelt dimension to the conversation. The episode concludes with Ed's vision for the future of his company in advancing medical research.
Sign up for the Some Future Day Newsletter here: https://marcbeckman.substack.com/
Episode Links:
Ed Currie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edcurrie1/Pucker Butt Pepper Company: https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/
To join the conversation, follow Marc Beckman here:
The hot pepper business is en fuego! While total market size in the United States stood at about $1.28 billion in 2022, predictably, it will continue to grow as the chili pepper has become an American kitchen staple. Although multinational corporations like the Kraft Heinz Company, McCormick, Campbell, and Unilever lead the way, the next tier of privately held businesses are catching up, fueled by innovation, trends, and leaning into the diversification of American cultural taste demands.
Enter Smokin' Ed Currie, the most famous pepper breeder on the planet. In fact, Ed's farm grows more than 100,000 pepper plants annually. A modern day Gregor Mendel, this three-time Guinness Book World of Records holder has created the world's hottest chilis: the Carolina Reaper, and the current hottie of hotties, Pepper X.
In this episode, Marc speaks with Ed Currie, founder and president of the Pucker Butt Pepper Company. Ed shares his journey from learning about plants from his mother to becoming an innovator in the pepper farming industry. During the discussion, Ed reveals insights into his sustainable farming practices, the scientific methods he uses to create super hot peppers, and his record-breaking pepper, Pepper X.
He also touches on the health benefits of capsaicin, the impact of hurricanes on his farm, and the growth of hot sauce popularity in the U.S. Ed's personal stories, including the adoption of his children and living in a Frank Lloyd Wright home, add a heartfelt dimension to the conversation. The episode concludes with Ed's vision for the future of his company in advancing medical research.
Sign up for the Some Future Day Newsletter here: https://marcbeckman.substack.com/
Episode Links:
Ed Currie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edcurrie1/Pucker Butt Pepper Company: https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/
To join the conversation, follow Marc Beckman here:
Previous Episode
Election Integrity, Voter Fraud, and Political Filmmaking | Dinesh D'Souza & Marc Beckman
Election Day. Alexander Hamilton recognized the potential harm to the minority's rights when he stated, "Democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch, but a republic is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." The electoral college remains an important aspect of the American republic as it was instituted to protect the minority and ensure that everyone's opinion could be heard.
In this episode of Some Future Day, Dinesh D'Souza shares his detailed personal story, starting with his immigration from Mumbai, India, at 17 through a Rotary Club exchange program. He discusses his unique experiences living in a small Arizona town, his shift in career direction influenced by Reaganism, his time at the Reagan White House, and his evolution into a prolific author and documentary filmmaker. D'Souza delves into topics such as election fraud, the disruptive potential of technology like AI and blockchain, and Trump’s influence and character. The episode concludes with Dinesh's thoughts on free speech, political polarization, and the possibility of restoring respectful intellectual debates in the future.
Key Topics:
- Dinesh's immigration story and background
- Working in the Reagan administration
- Dinesh's prolific career as an author
- Pivoting to filmmaking (he made 3 of the top 10 political documentaries)
- How Dinesh secures and structures the financing of his films
- The ins and outs of movie distribution for political docs
- The demographics that political docs appeal to (a small %)
- Tech and AI's possible effects on politics, filmmaking, etc.
- The difference between election fraud and voter fraud
- How easy it would be to hypothetically commit election fraud
- Why did Dinesh want to make Vindicating Trump?
- The difference between Trump in public and Trump in private
- Why Dinesh defends Trump in the film and book
- The effects of anti-Trump rhetoric on Americans and their political views
- The future of election security
Sign up for the Some Future Day Newsletter here: https://marcbeckman.substack.com/
Episode Links:
Dinesh D'Souza: https://dineshdsouza.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8GAOCAJxBL4bExaUCvwL4Q
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSouzaDinesh
To join the conversation, follow Marc Beckman here:
Next Episode
Culture Business, From Sean "Diddy" Combs to Toys“R”Us | Jameel Spencer and Marc Beckman
Over the last 25 years, Jameel Spencer has held pivotal marketing roles with Jay-Z, Pharrell, Justin Timberlake, Shaquille O'Neal, and even Sean “Diddy” Combs. In fact, Jameel was president of the advertising arm of Diddy's record label, Bad Boy Entertainment. Back then Diddy asserted, “Jameel is a close personal friend, a trusted partner, and a valued member of our team; a young leader with a tremendous future in marketing and advertising.” And boy, did Jameel step up!
Today, Jameel is Chief Marketing Officer of WHP Global, a consumer brand powerhouse that generates over $7 Billion in sales. Jameel leads creative marketing, celebrity talent development, and diversity and inclusion efforts across the entire brand portfolio, including Anne Klein, Toys “R” Us, Express, Bonobos, and Rag & Bone.
On this episode of Some Future Day, Marc Beckman sits down with the dynamic Jameel Spencer, a cultural visionary, brand marketing expert, and lifelong advocate for authenticity and purpose. Together, they explore Jameel’s groundbreaking journey, from leading Blue Flame Marketing alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs to shaping the intersection of culture, business, and social impact.
Jameel also opens up about personal responsibility, the importance of integrity, and how brands can make an emotional impact while doing good. From championing inclusivity at Ann Klein to empowering future generations, Jameel shares his unique perspective on using culture as a force for positive transformation.
This episode is packed with inspiring anecdotes, powerful lessons, and a thought-provoking vision for a better future where culture leads the way. Tune in for an engaging dialogue that bridges the worlds of marketing, art, and humanity.
Preorder Marc's new book, "Some Future Day: How AI Is Going to Change Everything"
Sign up for the Some Future Day Newsletter here: https://marcbeckman.substack.com/
Episode Links:
Jameel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameel-spencer-145790166?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2FWriteful Place LLC: https://writefulplace.com/
To join the conversation, follow Marc Beckman here:
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