Based on the Cap City’s bustling business scene, it’s clear great minds thrive here. Many local inventions have ventured beyond our state and (literally) connected the globe—and there’s still plenty of inspiration in Raleigh. Here, test your smarts on NC inventors and products.
1. The NC trio that created the Shibumi Shade—you know, those fluttering blue canopies that dot the coastline come summer—borrowed their brand name from an apartment complex at which Triangle university? a. NC State b. University of North Carolina c. North Carolina Central University d. Duke University
2. What’s in a name? Raleigh-born inventor Beulah Louise Henry claimed 49 patents on over 100 inventions, earning her what nickname? a. Miss Edison b. Lady Edison c. Lady Franklin d. Madam Tesla
3. The Wright Bros. famously flew the first flight in Kitty Hawk. The plane—which then cost $1,000 to make and never flew again—would run how much to build in today’s currency? a. ~$1,500 b. ~$5,700 c. ~$10,500 d. ~$36,000
4. After being told by his doctor that he needed to relieve stress to avoid a breakdown, a 28-year-old executive in Fayetteville invented what now wildly popular game? a. Spikeball b. Water balloon toss c. Putt-Putt d. Disc golf
5. Buzzy fun fact: Burt Shavitz—aka the “Burt” of the Durham-headquartered natural skincare brand Burt’s Bees—originally worked in Manhattan as a what? a. Dermatologist b. Pharmacist c. Photojournalist d. Race car driver
6. It’s all in the sauce. Raleigh-founded BBQ sauce brand Bone Suckin’ Sauce began when it won the NC Battle of the Sauces in March 1994. How many years in a row was the sauce awarded best in sales records? a. 3 b. 4 c. 6 d. 12
7. What local craft company garnered the attention of Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban on Shark Tank and ultimately partnered with the duo, who invested $450K in the company? a. The Woobles b. IpsyDoodles c. Jerry’s Artarama d. J. Sanders Studio
8. Sweet relief! What OTC headache reliever was invented by Durham-based pharmacists Germain Bernard and C.T. Council in 1910? a. Advil b. Tylenol c. Aleve d. BC Powder
9. IBM’s famed engineer George Laurer—who held 25 patents and published 20 technical bulletins in his lifetime—received the Raleigh Inventor of the Year award in 1976 thanks to what invention? a. Universal Product Code b. Windshield wipers c. Contributions to holography d. Loudspeaker system
Add a bit of heat to your winter ahead of National Hot Sauce Day Jan. 22 via our saucy quiz that’ll test those spicy smarts on all things #fire—from trivia on local sauce brands to takes on the global Sriracha shortage. Get ready to test your zest. … No weak sauce allowed.
“The OG dry hot sauce,”—aka the only one that exists!—is local brand Benny T’s Vesta. And the master makers have created a sauce so hot it requires those making it to wear how many pairs of latex gloves?
a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4
The spice of life is… spice. Locally owned Oak City Hot Sauce has been heating things up in the city since its launch in 2017. Where did owners Zack Goodman and Devin Bayles work before starting their heated condiment biz?
a. Marriott b. Disney c. Hilton d. Starbucks
Back in 1929, Sam Garner and his three sons spun up a hot sauce that is now a household legend: Texas Pete. What name did a marketing adviser recommend they use for the sauce instead?
a. Carolina Pete b. Texas Joe c. Mexican Joe d. Carolina Heat
For sauce that’s finger lickin’—er, bone suckin’—good, try topping your next meal with Raleigh-based Bone Suckin’ Sauce. First developed in 1987 by a real estate appraiser and father of four, the brand flaunting both heat and sweet added which ingredient to amp up its hot BBQ sauce?
a. Habanero peppers b. Poblano peppers c. Cayenne peppers d. Jalapeno peppers
Hey, hot stuff! Texas Pete’s name may be a nod to the Lone Star State, but it’s actually a staple born in what NC city?
a. Winston-Salem b. Greensboro c. Wilmington d. Charlotte
“Those who don’t fear the Reaper are fools.” Gaining traction after an NPR journalist tried a small sample and rolled on the floor hallucinating, Smokin’ Ed’s Carolina Reaper took the word “fire” to a whole new level with a Guinness World Record for hottest chile. … That is until which pepper recently nabbed the title?
a. Ghost pepper b. Infinity chile c. Trinidad Moruga scorpion d. Pepper X
That’s so fire. While many hot sauces boast massive cult followings, which one brings the heat as the No. 1 most popular in the country per recent grocery shopping data?
a. Tabasco b. Cholula c. Frank’s RedHot d. Huy Fong Sriracha
Find locally grown/made and affordable products through Food Lion’s Local Goodness program.
You may not think you’re supporting local when you shop at Food Lion, but we’re here to tell you that you’re—fortunately—wrong. Through the grocery store’s Local Goodness program, it sources quality, locally grown and affordable produce from area farmers and vendors in the Raleigh-Durham area to provide the wholesome food we put on our plates daily.
“Our Local Goodness program ties back to Food Lion’s overarching mission to provide customers with fresh and affordable food while giving back to the communities we serve,” says Kristin Wells, produce category manager for vegetables at Food Lion. “We realize how important it is for our customers to buy locally sourced products, and through our Local Goodness program, Food Lion customers can shop Local Goodness-tagged products and know exactly where their food is coming from.”
Food Lion partners with over 40 growers throughout the state, both large and small—from Oxford to Nashville to, of course, Raleigh—including Cottle Farms in Faison, NC, and locally sourced vendors FreshPoint Raleigh and FreshPik Produce in Kenly, NC, just down the road from the City of Oaks.
And not only do these partnerships bring shoppers fresh, affordable produce, they also support local growers who provide jobs in communities close to home, says Wells. Another perk? Since the local produce is grown closer to home, the travel time from farm to store is shorter—translation: the produce is extra fresh and full of flavor since it has a bit more time to ripen before it needs to ship (!).
Beyond produce grown and made in the state, the Local Goodness program also features products like chips, sauces and sausages. Raleigh-based vendors participating in the program include 1 in 6 Snacks and Bone Suckin’ Sauce. If you’re ISO Local Goodness products at your local Food Lion, simply look for the “Heart and Soul of Our Communities” tag in the meat/seafood, deli/bakery, and center store departments—and the “Local Goodness” tag on produce. Meal time never felt so good.
