StartupNation Judges' Synopsis

Art Weingaertner loves his hot peppers. And we do, too. Mixed into a variety of salsas, they're the hottest ticket in this year's Top Ten Yummiest category.

Xerarch's Foods is a family company founded in 2003 in New Mexico, homeland to spicey southwestern food. Weingartner flame roasts the peppers to give them a unique and sweeter flavor. The thick, blended consistency allows for full salsa flavor in every bite and excellent "chipability". You can find your version of yummy -- not too hot, not too mild -- by sampling one of his many "heat" levels.

His line has expanded to include rubs for BBQ which mix in Texas BBQ sweetness with the mustardy tanginess of Kansas City BBQ. It sounds so yummy, we all concluded we'd be happy just eating cardboard as long as Xerarch's Foods' dressed it up a little.