We had the good fortune of connecting with Zach Reed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zach, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always been a big fan of food and cooking and I always wanted to do something with food. I wasn’t sure how I would do that so I went to college to get a degree in Chemistry. After I did a a 10 week stint at the University of Arkansas under the National Science Foundations Research Experience for Undergraduates in biochemistry, I realized that I didn’t want to be a biochemist anymore. That is when I found food science and when I decided to get a Ph.D. in Food Science.

As I have worked for the last 12 years in the food industry as a researcher I have always wanted to find a business I could start on my own. A few years ago I started fermenting my own hot sauces and I even started growing my own hot peppers to make into the hot sauce.

When I started making the hot sauces it was always for fun but it quickly turned into an idea that I thought I could start a business with. I tested selling some of my hot sauces to some friends and they were a real hit. After I sponsored a contest on FaceBook to help me name the company, I landed on the name Dr. Zach’s Flavor Attack!

I have realized that it isn’t always easy to start your own business and I am not where I want to be yet but I am having a lot of fun with that.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I meet new people and they ask me what I do for a living and I tell them I am a Food Scientist, they typically ask what that means and that is where the real fun begins. As a Food Scientist specializing in meat science I started out my career working for Oscar Mayer in Madison, Wisconsin. It was an awesome experience and I had the opportunity to work on some truly iconic brands. From making bacon to Turkey Selects I learned so many things at Oscar Mayer and I realized how much I enjoyed making food that everyone loves. After spending three years at Oscar Mayer I had the opportunity to move to Kansas City and start working for a company called Corbion that makes food safety ingredients to help keep meat products safe.

It was here at Corbion where I had the opportunity to build out a cold room where we could do all of our meat applications studies. It was a really great learning opportunity. I had to work with equipment suppliers, local government building agencies, and internal stake holders to get the cold room built. During my tenure at Corbion I also was able to work on and commercialize a new product that combined food safety and natural antioxidants. My life outside the lab revolved extensively around food as well. Kansas City is known for its bbq and the Kansas City Bbq Society is located in Kansas City. I joined the Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS) because I love cook bbq and I figured it was a good way to enjoy that more fully. After joining the KCBS I then also took a class at the KCBS to become a Certified BBQ Judge and I have been judging KCBS Sanctioned bbq contests for the last 7 years. It is a great pastime and it gives me a great deal of exposure to many different styles and flavors of BBQ.

After 2.5 years in Kansas I had the opportunity to move here to Colorado to work for Ingredion and help build out a world class Meat Center of Excellence in the Englewood area. My family and I have been here for the last 6 years and we love the Colorado lifestyle. As I have been working in the food industry, it has made me want to make my own food product and that is how I landed on fermented hot sauce and how I started Dr. Zach’s Flavor Attack, LLC.

I love food and I love science and love sharing my knowledge and love of food and the combination of that with science with everyone I meet. It hasn’t been easy and I still have hurdles to overcome like raising the capital to get my business really going but I am confident that I will get it done.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had someone coming to visit me for a week I would spend most of our time in the mountains. I love to fish, hunt, hike, camp and cook. When I can combine all of those is when I am at my happiest. My favorite fly-fishing spot close to the city is O’Fallon Park above Red Rocks. Dry fly fishing there with a hand tied size 18 Puterbaugh yellow foam caddis is my favorite thing to do.

If I want great BBQ I go Scooter’s Texas Style BBQ. It was in Conifer but recently moved locations to Georgetown. They have amazing burnt ends and delicious sausage. Check them out while out enjoying the mountains.

If it is fall time going up to the continental divide and driving through the mountains with the changing foliage is an amazing trip and then hiking and fishing in the area is awesome.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shoutout to my wonderful, loving, and super-supportive wife Erin! She has been by my side for over 22 years and has always been my biggest supporter and fan! From helping me bottle my first bottles of Wild Watermelon Habanero Hot Sauce to supporting the investment of time and money to start my dream, Erin makes me want to work harder everyday!

Website: www.drzachsflavorattack.com

Instagram: @drzachsflavorattack

Image Credits
Zachary Reed, Ph.D.

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