Tesco is stocking the world’s hottest commercially grown chilli. Bhut Jolokia has been used by the Indian army in developing crowd control grenades.
Originating in the Assam region of northern India but now also grown in Bedfordshire, Bhut Jolokia is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as being more than 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce.
The chillis, grown by Salvatore Genovese and supplied by Finlays, will go on sale at Tesco next week priced at 90p for a 15g sachet.
Tesco buyer Harry Jones said: “In the last five years there has been a huge growth in demand for hot chilli pepper peppers in the UK which is why we now stock so many different varieties.
“And there are two distinct markets - the foodie market which has grown because of our increasing love for hot and spicy dishes and the macho specialist market which is for hardcore chilli heads as they are known.
“Initially Tesco only sold chilli peppers in areas where there were large Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities but nowadays they have become mainstream and had their popularity boosted by the increasing popularity of Asian, Thai and other oriental food.”
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