Friends of Ham, Fika North, Honest Burgers and Double D's Hot Sauce have all collaborated with this sauce company this year.
Starting from humble beginnings, Thiccc Sauce is one of our favourite lockdown success stories from Leeds.
Since beginning the sauce company, founder Luca has collaborated with some incredible Leeds talent, including the likes of Friends of Ham, Little Bao Boys, the Savvy Baker, as well as gaining national clients that all want a taste of hot sauce.
Sauces are available for personal use and as giant corporate bottles for mass production. / Image: Thiccc Sauces
Over the last eighteen months, variations of sauces have been repeatedly limited to small batches and sometimes a purchase maximum of one per person- these Thiccc Sauces have been in hot demand.
It all started for Luca in May 2020, when the founder was bored and hibernating in their mum's kitchen, 'until everything blew over, which it didn't'.
Image: Thiccc Sauce
Earlier this year, founder Luca shared the recipe for success so far on Instagram, explaining:
"Previous to starting the project, my love of hot sauce & BBQ sauce came from working in hospitality for 10 years & travelling the east and west coast of America over the years.
I always wanted to put together a combination of the love of sauce & beer from an industry i love into my very own product & then was born Thiccc Sauce.
"What started with 5 bottles of unlabelled, waxed scotch bonnet hot sauce sold over Instagram, then grew and grew to being able to work with some of the best Northern foodies, venues and brands to where we are today, back in lockdown #fullcircle".
Hot sauce with packaging designed by artists around the UK. / Image: Thiccc Sauce
The sauce maker isn't just championing restaurants and bars across Leeds, but uses talent from the city and across the UK to design each bottles' unique design. So far, some of Thiccc Sauces' greatest designs have come from the likes of Drew Millard, Stuart Allen, Bobbi Abbey.
As the year comes to a close, the sauce giant has collaborated with Bundobust, Neon Cactus, Mozzafella, North Brew Co and more, which all come from an original Thiccc Sauce base. Nowadays, there are a range of fast-selling sauces available, including a recent restock of a collaboration with Fika North: Lagöm.
Thiccc Sauce X Fika North. / Image: Thiccc Sauce
The collaboration is all about championing local and international flavours with their Lagöm Lingonberry Hot Sauce. Lagöm meaning “just the right amount, in balance” in Swedish, and contains just the right amount of freshly squeezed Lingonberries, Lingonberry Jam, habanero chilli, bell red pepper, tomato, red wine vinegar, maple syrup and spices.
So what can we expect from the delicious sauce makers in 2022? Luca said:
"I’ve recently just moved into a huge warehouse space in Sheepscar so production will be increasing in 2022 along with loads more exciting collabs and sauces"- we can't wait to hear which.
Thiccc Sauce is available at plenty of foodie pop ups too. / Image: Thiccc Sauce
To get your hands of some of the best sauces in Leeds, you can visit their website or Instagram page, or you can find their sauce in person at Bottle Chop in Headingley, amongst other stockists.
Feature Image- Thiccc Sauce
Leeds
Viral brunch cafe Acai and the Tribe is coming to Leeds city centre this spring
Leeds health nuts assemble, because acai bowls and superfood smoothies are coming to a city near you.
Incase you've been living under a rock for the past year or so, you may not be clued up on the whole acai bowl trend that has been sweeping up the nation.
Acai is a super berry grown and harvested in the Amazon rainforest, and not only is it absolutely delicious but it has a myriad of health benefits.
Acai and the Tribe first opened four years ago in Manchester, and ever since then it's only gone from strength to strength opening up three other locations across the country.
Images: The Manc Group
Next stop? Leeds. And we couldn't be happier about it.
So, what can we expect from this aesthetically-pleasing and ultra trendy female-owned business? Well, loaded acai bowls that look almost too good to eat, superfood smoothies, coffees, matcha and savoury options like avocado toast.
Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, Acai and the Tribe said: "You asked, we listened. LEEDS… your new lifestyle arrives soon."
They will be opening on 88 Vicar Lane as part of the Vicar Lane regeneration scheme, which has already scene some great new restaurants being announced such as Sticks'n'Sushi and Dishoom.
It seems like this part of town is suddenly going to be the place to be, and we're very happy to see it.
We'll keep you updated with opening dates as and when we know more but for now, you can find out more about Acai and the Tribe here.
Leeds’ first sauna and ice bath cafe is coming to the city centre this spring
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: Supplied
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a silent sauna, giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
Image: Supplied
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.
Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.
Sophie Smith -
21st December 2021 
