Tale of Trop

Cooked up on Grand St., Brooklyn, and launched on Orchard St., LES in July 2020, Trop Flavor Co. began with two friends and roommates — David Zheutlin and Kenny Cousins — who fell into starting a hot sauce brand through pure kismet. What started out as an afternoon co-teaching a hot sauce class with a friend on Zoom, quickly evolved into something more.  

Using leftover ingredients from the afternoon class, David and Kenny embarked on a hot-sauce making journey that went past 3:00am, resulting in 12 experimental flavors. Over the coming days, the duo began handing out free samples and trading hot sauce with fiends during lockdown. One of those recipients happened to be the co-owner of Boys Don't Cry, an LES elevated dive-bar that used to operate at 28 Orchard St. With COVID shutdowns in effect, the bar offered its commercial kitchen as a base of operations that would eventually lead to the creation of what is now Trop Flavor Co.

Now, in the present, Trop Flavor Co. is a challenger upstart within the local New York City food & beverage community looking to delight curious foodies. With simple ingredients, fresh fruits, and hot peppers—Trop aims to create a kaleidoscope of complexity to decorate your taste buds. Zest, tang, and gusto are never sacrificed for heat. So, whether you sauce every bite or only require a single dab, take a trip with Trop on the trail of flavors.