Born and brought up in the working-class neighborhood of Lafayette, Dustin Poirier’s childhood wasn’t filled with financial scarcity. His single mother took care of him and his siblings after his father left the family when Dustin was just five. As he grew up, he found solace and purpose in the world of martial arts. However, he was involved in street fights, dropped out of school, and even went to juvenile detention for a month. But his real test began when he began his MMA journey. He had no sponsors and no real plan in the beginning — there was definitely no money in his pockets. Now, he’s the owner of a $6M empire, as he inches closer to his retirement from fighting.
After establishing himself as a remarkable MMA athlete, Dustin Poirier thought of expanding his sources of income. His hot sauce brand, Poirier’s Louisiana Style Hot Sauce, cleared the road to his business venture. It’s the same hot sauce that Poirier gifted Conor McGregor, back at UFC 257. Poirier’s hot sauce made him richer by at least a million dollars. Let’s learn a bit more about the hot sauce brand.
All about Dustin Poirier’s hot sauce brand
During an interview with GQ back in 2022, ‘The Diamond’ revealed the story behind Poirier’s Louisiana Style Hot Sauce. He stated, “The sauce was birthed from COVID and being trapped at home. I love cooking and I always knew I wanted to be involved in the culinary world somehow. Being stuck at home, having downtime, and being able to put pen to paper, put ingredients together, and reach out is how the opportunity took off.”
Sold for $12 per bottle, Poirier’s Louisiana Style Hot Sauce is a vinegar and aged Cayenne pepper-based sauce. However, one can taste the flavors of celery among other things. He continued, “You can also cook with the sauce—I cook with it a lot. Buy a bottle of any other Louisiana sauce and taste-test it side by side. You’ll definitely pick up some small things that place it ahead of the pack.”
As of now, the Lafayette resident has three variations to his hot sauce – The classic hot sauce, the Creole Maple, and the KO Edition. Partnered with Heartbeat Co., the hot sauce is sold online and in stores across America. But making and selling hot sauce isn’t the only business that adds to Poirier’s $6M net worth.
Does Dustin Poirier own a whiskey brand?
In 2022, Poirier co-founded Rare Stash, a craft bourbon brand made from barrels from Kentucky and North Carolina. ‘The Diamond’s quote on Rare Stash’s official website reads, “This bottle is full of celebrations, congratulations, second chances and amazing bourbon. You are invited to join me in enjoying my first batch of Rare Stash.” But how did he venture into making bourbon?
It all stemmed from when he stumbled upon the idea of collecting limited-edition bourbon. Talking to Mark McGinnis, the managing director of Seal Legacy Foundation, the #6 lightweight contender said, “When I heard the idea of a collector’s bourbon where each lot was going to be different, it really sparked my interest as a bourbon drinker and collector myself, and then I tasted the liquid, and I was like, ‘Yeah, man, I’m in.’” We can estimate that Poirier receives $500K to $1M in equity from Rare Stash.
He’s also invested a few hundred thousand dollars in Marcello’s Wine Market, a local wine store in Lafayette. He has a partnership with REAP CBD, and has made several real estate investments as well. But there’s one question that’s still lingering – will these businesses be able to sustain Poirier’s lifestyle following his retirement fight against Max Holloway at UFC 318?
The post Dustin Poirier’s $6M Empire: Louisiana Hot Sauce, Whiskey Brand, and Other Businesses Outside UFC appeared first on EssentiallySports.
