#AlbanyIsAllBiz | Hot Crispy Oil Relocates and Expands in Albany
October 29, 2025
Hot Crispy Oil, the Albany-based specialty condiment company that captured the taste buds of food enthusiasts nationwide, is embarking on a new chapter. The company, founded in 2020 by John Trimble, recently relocated its operations to a larger facility at 24 Thatcher Street in Albany, marking a significant step forward in its plans for growth.
View this post on Instagram
The move comes after just four years in operation, during which Hot Crispy Oil has grown from a local favorite to a nationally recognized brand. Known for its signature spicy chili oil, the company has built a loyal customer base and is working on expanding its line of products.
“We started off as a chili oil company, but now we have several products and we’re already looking to our next,” said Trimble. “The goal is to evolve into more of a condiment pantry arsenal type company.”
The new facility at 24 Thatcher Street, which came online in June after several months of renovation is equipped with state-of-the-art features to support the company’s evolving production needs and expanding distribution.
The buildout of the new space was supported by Capitalize Albany Corporation’s Neighborhood Retail Grant Program, a program made possible by the City of Albany’s Capital Resource Corporation.
In addition to expanded production capabilities, the new larger Thatcher Street location includes a direct-to-consumer retail sales component, allowing customers to walk in and purchase Hot Crispy Oil products directly from the facility.
Trimble said they now have the space that they can segment out for this and that there’s significant foot traffic compared to the previous location and being able to sell directly to anyone stopping by or picking up their online purchase complements the commercial corridor well with Hot Crispy Oil being located near Nine Pin Cider and the many other warehouse district businesses, bars and restaurants.
He said the decision to move from 151 Montgomery Street stemmed from both logistical planning around the anticipated demolition of the nearby Central Warehouse and a need for additional space to accommodate projected growth.
“We didn’t want to go too far, I have a great staff that’s been working with me for years now and didn’t want to really risk the chance of losing them,” Trimble explained. “Our landlord decided to sell our building and gave us the chance to purchase it and we had to think long and hard if this was the building we wanted to be in long-term with the Central Warehouse demolition pending and we decided it wasn’t where we wanted to be so we spent a good six months or so on the hunt.”
“Finding the right spot was a little tricky because we’re cooking fried garlic all day long and it does give off a pretty pungent smell, that many people actually do love, but…,” Trimble continued with a laugh.
Trimble said the company is working to expand partnerships, increase its workforce and annual revenue — there is a plan for growth fueled by expanding retail relationships, continued e-commerce momentum, and a growing customer base.
“We’ve been expanding our portfolio aggressively over the last couple years, utilizing another local manufacturer called Vital Eats.”
He noted how launching new products comes with high capital expenditures and often a need for new equipment. Serving as a co-packer Vital Eats has an extensive commercial kitchen setup, partnering with the company on a few of Hot Crispy Oil’s newer and less market-tested products has allowed them to push out more limited releases and take the opportunity to test new products out so they can keep growing their lineup, one of the newest additions is Hot Crispy Honey which is a collaboration with Bee Dolce Honey.
Looking ahead, in addition to exploring new flavors and companion products Hot Crispy Oil is continuing to evolve its pipeline to customers, Whether using Amazon and direct-to-consumer web sales on its site or shelf placement in supermarkets and specialty food stores.
“We’re pretty close split down the middle as far as direct-to-consumer e-commerce, which would include Amazon, and then traditional wholesale through supermarkets and specialty food stores,” said Trimble. “It’s always been our goal to have a well-rounded omni channel distribution.”
He explained the company has a strong presence in stores across the northeast and is working to expand its reach south into states including Georgia and Florida.
Online, and especially on social media, the landscape continues to evolve and become more crowded. Hot Crispy Oil is continuing to engage with influencers on apps like TikTok and Instagram, but is mostly leveraging its relationships and engagement with recipe-focused creators and accounts that incorporate products into their content.
With roots tied to the closure of his family’s restaurant, La Serre, located in downtown Albany where Trimble worked for decades, Hot Crispy Oil began as a condiment experiment as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed and quickly turned into a cult-favorite product line. To learn all about Hot Crispy Oil, head to https://hotcrispyoil.com/.
ALBANY’S ALL BUSINESS #AlbanyIsAllBiz
From new enterprises to long-standing old favorites, exciting things are happening all over the Capital City. The #AlbanyisAllBiz series puts a spotlight on members of the business community, keeping residents and visitors alike up to date on the latest developments and offerings, including restaurants, retail, nonprofits, and more.
Social Media