Valley Veteran creates hot sauce business, aims to inspire community

LOS FRESNOS, Texas (ValleyCentral) — ValleyCentral spoke with a Rio Grande Valley Veteran who owns and operates a successful hot sauce company with hopes of inspiring other Veterans.

David Price served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. and grew an interest in fermenting foods, discovering he had a talent for making hot sauce.

In 2021, Price launched Tun Tavern Market to showcase his handcrafted hot sauces.

The Veteran owned and operated business has caught the interest of the RGV community through farmers’ markets and social media.

Price says starting up a business is no easy task, especially on your own.

“By the time I decided I’m going to make a business out of this until the time I actually had all of my paperwork in order, there was so much red tape that I didn’t realize,” Price said. “Like health departments, FDA, I have never heard of a process authority until I had used one.”

The business owner says he would have prevented a lot of headaches building his company by taking advantage of services provided to Veterans.

“I joined the American Legion recently because they have all kinds of small business counseling, that’s something that is really expensive,” Price said. ” We talked to people that wanted to charge us $6,000 a month to counsel you and help hold your hand during the process, they offer that free.”

With other services offered to Veterans like local VFWs, the Veterans Affairs, and the Small Business Administration, Price says the biggest issue is Veterans not knowing there is help out there.

“It’s not really pride it was ignorance,” Price said. “It didn’t really click to me that even though it is a completely different type of business there is a lot of the same aspects, just ask for help you know.”

Tun Tavern Market is now Price’s full-time job, however, he hopes to serve as inspiration for his fellow Veterans wanting to start their own business ventures.

“I would say just to look at what you have done already,” Price said. “You have done so much more in your life at the military than you thought you ever could have. Nothing can stop you. If you can overcome the military, what can you overcome.”