Award-winning hot sauce maker and award-winning audio brand launch ‘HOT WAX’- a hot sauce to help keep you warm this winter
Audio-Technica Australia and Mat’s Hot Shop have come together to create a unique Japanese-inspired Hot Sauce called ‘Hot Wax’. The word WAX is a common slang term used to refer to vinyl records. ‘Hot’ refers to the vinyl coming fresh off the record press, which would be warm after just being moulded.
This vibrant hot sauce is where zesty yuzu meets the bold heat of green habanero, elevated by the aromatic kick of sansho pepper. A touch of white miso brings savoury umami depth, balanced with the subtle tang of rice vinegar, ginger and ponzu. The mild hot sauce is finished with a hint of sesame oil and fragrant spring onion; this sauce is a harmonious blend of heat, citrus and Umami. The perfect pairing for grilled meats, fresh Savi ache or even a morning egg. Hot Wax is the ideal condiment to accompany
your favourite meal while listening to your favourite record on your Audio-Technica turntable.
Ingredients: rice vinegar, green habanero, white miso, yuzu juice, ponzu, spring onion, garlic, yuzu kosho, dashi, mirin, ginger, lightly toasted sesame oil, sansho pepper, black pepper.
Hot Wax retails for RRP $22 and is available at Mat’s Hot Shop and on their website from 4 July. If you want to try the product before buying, you can experience the dynamic flavours and many other sauces from Mat’s impressive collection at the tasting room at 204aWellington Street, Collingwood VIC 3066. Thursday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.
Audio-Technica Australia is no stranger to out-of-the-box collaborations. From Rice Lager, actual burgers, and iced coffee, the brand is always on the lookout for creative projects that support and celebrate local, like many of the independent record stores around the country. In its latest campaign, Audio-Technica teamed up with Mat’s Hot Shop in Melbourne to create a delicious hot sauce that unleashes fire on tastebuds and curries favour with the chilli aficionados.
“Before opening Mat’s Hot Shop, I was a working DJ for over 15 years, and I’ve been collecting records for even longer. When Audio-Technica approached me about a possible Japanese hot sauce collaboration, I had just booked a trip to Japan. I was flying out the following month, so it was perfect timing to search for flavours and get some inspiration for the sauce.” says Mat, owner and award winning hot sauce maker. The most recent one being the 1st place in the fruit-based category at the Screaming Mimi Awards, the most prestigious hot sauce competition in the USA held at the New York City Hot Sauce expo 2024.
The artwork for the hot sauce is an eye-catching design featuring a Japanese sumo wrestler with horns coming out of his head. He wears Audio-Technica M50x Studio monitor headphones while DJing on LP120 turntables. Naturally, the character is representing Mat’s Hot Shop T-shirt. In the background, bottles of hot wax, hot sauce, and fried chicken legs appear behind him. Audio-Technica commissioned artist Jeremy Lord to create the artwork, with a nod to the brand’s Japanese heritage and its deep appreciation for analogue sound.
“We’ve worked with Jermy a few times now, twice with our Yuli’s Brews and again when collaborating with Mecca on a Japanese canned coffee. This design for Hot Wax is my favourite to date. Now, we are in the process of creating some epic Hot Wax merch. This includes a custom slipmat to go on your turntable, limited-edition skinned hot Wax sound burgers (portable turntables), and even a Hot Wax cooking apron to wear when BBQing some delicious meats or veggies with the sauce. Make sure to follow the A-T handles to get updates on Giveaways!” says General Manager for Audio-Technica and QSC Pro Australia Wesley von Grabill.