Is Aldi Hot Sauce Really Frank's Red Hot?

In recent years, some astute Aldi shoppers have noted that the German supermarket chain's in-house brand of hot sauce, Burman's, seems suspiciously similar to famed buffalo wings ingredient, Frank's Red Hot. Some even believe the two are identical, but is this true?

So, first up, Aldi has many of its own in-house brands that it completely owns (including Burman's) and sells exclusively in its own stores. However, sometimes the external companies responsible for Aldi brands also manufacture other brands; there's even a technical overlap between Aldi and Trader Joe's. While there are hints of some overlap between spice giant McCormick, the owners of Frank's Red Hot, and Aldi — including unproven rumors that McCormick provides the discount supermarket's spices — there's no clear indication that the two companies work together. What's more, the two sauces have slightly different ingredient lists, also implying different producers. Both are made with aged cayenne pepper, distilled vinegar, salt, and garlic, but the Aldi brand lists the thickener xanthan gum, while Frank's lists water (it's possible, but unlikely, that the Aldi brand left water off its ingredients list, as it's generally required to be listed). So, the two sauces aren't the same.

If the ingredient list didn't already make it clear, the two sauces obviously have major overlap. When it comes to flavor, their ingredients are completely identical since the only differing ingredients, water and xanthan gum, don't have any taste (although the xanthan gum may make Burman's a little thicker in texture). Okay, water can have a faint taste, but probably not enough to be evident among the heavy-hitting ingredients of cayenne and garlic.

Identical ingredients doesn't mean an identical product, though, since the exact ratios of each ingredient could vary. This is what online commenters and creators who have tasted the sauces side-by-side tend to have noted: The Aldi version is a touch more vinegary in flavor, veering a little more towards a vinegar-heavy brand such as Louisiana Hot Sauce, and the Aldi sauce might be a touch less salty. Overall, though, the two are considered pretty darn similar. But Burman's is cheaper than Frank's — if you're looking for a good deal, the Aldi version is a decent choice.