The word "biggity" means conceited, self-important or uppity. Ask a Bahamian the meaning of the word and they will tell you that it references a person who isn't shy about getting up in a person's face and challenging them. So for someone to name a product "Biggity" means that the owner has a lot of gumption and that they must have a lot of faith in it. So coming across a line of pepper sauces with the name "Biggity" makes you wonder if the product really lives up to the name or whether it's just hype?

Turns out, the word biggity is perfect for the Biggity pepper sauce line. It encompasses everything about the sauce -- sassy, savory and scrumptious. It's a sauce that has loud, bold flavors with tropical notes, and a lot of herbs and spice. The Biggity pepper sauces are not just hot; they have a lot of flavor.

Each sauce has a varying degree of heat -- there's mild (which has to be special ordered, and isn't requested much, so it doesn't have a name); the middle of the road hot sauce that most people order is called "Biggity" and the extra hot is called "Mudda Flip".

The pepper sauces were introduced to the Bahamian market in 2012 at The Little Pink Party's winter edition. A dollop of their spicy sauce sat atop a cracker and cheese appetizer that took people by surprise as the heat of the spicy sauce was cooled by the cheddar slice making for a nice bite. The owners of Biggity sold their first bottle of the sauce at 5:30 p.m. that day and by 8:30 p.m., were completely sold out as people snapped up jars of the spicy, but flavorful sauce. The Biggity pepper sauce debut was a hit.

The mastermind and maker behind the Biggity line of pepper sauces is Elvira Lowe who has been making the sauce for approximately seven years. According to Lowe's daughter, Amanda Ferguson, who is now president of Biggity Limited, their family has always loved spice and pepper. She said because of that, their mother decided to play around with some ingredients one day. Many jars after the initial play around, Ferguson said her mother perfected what is now the Biggity pepper sauce line.

 The pepper sauce became a staple in the family household, and was adored by friends that tried it. They hounded Lowe about selling it. She decided to try it. Ferguson runs the family-owned, home-based company for her mother.

 "I didn't grow up with the sauce, but my brother and sister have basically grown up with it. It's now ingrained in our family. It's like I can't remember a time when we didn't have it," said Ferguson.

 The Lowe/Ferguson family use their Biggity pepper sauces on just about everything. Ferguson said they use it in barbecue sauce for extra spice. They use the pepper sauce as a finisher in boiled fish and chicken souse to add an extra kick. They also add some of the pepper sauce to their macaroni and cheese before it's baked. She said that sauce gives the macaroni an extra bit of flavor when you cut into it. They also use it as a condiment on burgers. And a dollop on a piece of cheese atop a cracker makes for an easy, yet simple and delicious appetizer for a crowd.

"Our family is so addicted to it right now, we literally eat it on almost everything," said Ferguson. "Even if we don't have cheese, we just put a dollop of the pepper sauce on the cracker and eat that," she said.

 And in staying true to ensure that their product is uniquely Bahamian, the Biggity pepper sauce jars are wrapped in coconut bark stamped with the word Biggity.

 Since their debut, Ferguson said the product has been very well received. They make deliveries on the weekend, and have had to ship their product to the Family Islands. They hope to bring their product to the commercial market via the grocery stores.

 As with all businesses, Ferguson said they would love to continue to grow and move in an upward trend. Their website, biggity242.com, through which orders will be able to be placed is expected to go live next week. Orders can also be placed via email at biggity242@yahoo.com or by telephone at 376-1520.

 A three-and-a-quarter ounce size (sample size) of Biggity pepper sauce retails for $6. The six-ounce size is offered at $8. Biggity Limited also offers a catering size and have provided pepper sauces to a number of restaurants that have special ordered their product.

Weekly, they sell about four gallons of their pepper sauce. Currently, they can produce up to 10 gallons per week if they need to.

 Ferguson said the company's principals want to appeal to people's sense of taste and smell, and as such are looking to expand beyond pepper sauces to include a dried spice line that they are currently working on.

 At the 2013 summer edition of The Little Pink Party last week, they debuted their soy candles in uniquely Bahamian scents -- Switcha, Banana Bread and Sky Juice. A novelty scent also included ganja. They will have a special independence line of candles for the summer, which they expect to produce every year for three months.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian