Louisiana may be celebrated for its pepper sauces, Cajun seasonings, and slow-simmered specialties, but buffalo-style wing sauce rarely receives top billing in the state’s culinary story. Two University of Louisiana at Lafayette friends are working to change that perception. Through Freetown Spice Co., the wing guys, Justin Trascher and Brett House have transformed a favorite backyard recipe into a growing Louisiana brand rooted in friendship, community service, and Acadiana’s competitive cooking culture, according to this article from The Advocate.

The company’s story began near the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where Trascher and House became friends through the university’s Kappa Sigma fraternity. Many members of their close-knit group lived in Freetown-Port Rico, a historic neighborhood northeast of campus. Casual gatherings regularly included a grill, and Trascher and House soon developed a reputation as the friends who could turn an assortment of available ingredients into something memorable.

Chicken wings became one of their specialties. Rather than following a fixed commercial recipe, the pair experimented with flavors until they created a sauce that matched their preferences. Their blend combined the tangy sharpness associated with traditional buffalo sauce and the approachable sweetness of barbecue sauce. The result begins with a mild sweetness before developing a more noticeable tang and bite, giving it enough personality to stand out without overwhelming the food beneath it.

What started as an informal neighborhood tradition gained a larger audience through Wing Wars of Acadiana, an annual Lafayette chicken-wing festival and cook-off benefiting the Gifting Grace Project. House’s mother was involved with the nonprofit, which supports students experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable young people throughout Acadiana. When Trascher and House were invited to assemble a cooking team for the 2023 competition at Parc International, they entered somewhat spontaneously—and finished first in their division.

The wing guys’ company now produces both its signature wing sauce and a versatile dry rub. While many Cajun and Creole seasoning blends rely heavily on cayenne pepper, Trascher intentionally developed the Freetown blend without it. His goal was to create an all-purpose seasoning that would provide balanced flavor across a broad variety of dishes rather than functioning only as a source of heat.

Although it was first created for wings, customers have found plenty of additional uses for the rub. It can complement chicken, shrimp, seafood, steak, pasta, and other everyday recipes. That flexibility reflects a familiar Louisiana approach to cooking: a trusted seasoning should be useful enough to remain within easy reach, whether someone is preparing food on an outdoor grill or cooking a weeknight meal in the kitchen.

Trascher and House have since started careers in the Baton Rouge and Covington areas, but they continue developing the company on the side. Freetown products have reached shelves at Planet Nutrition in Youngsville, Bellard’s Poultry in Opelousas, and select Rouses Markets locations in Gonzales and Baton Rouge. Expanding through Louisiana retailers allows the partners to grow while maintaining a connection to the Acadiana community that inspired the brand.

For the wing guys, Trascher and House, growth is also measured through recognition closer to home. They hope Freetown Spice Co.eventually becomes a familiar sight in Acadiana grocery aisles—a product residents recognize, purchase, and regularly use. In a region where food carries deep cultural and community significance, earning that kind of local trust would be an accomplishment of its own.

What began with two friends grilling wings in Freetown has developed into a promising small business with a distinct Louisiana identity. By blending familiar flavors, supporting a meaningful local cause, and remaining connected to the community where it all started, Freetown Spice Co. is showing that Acadiana may have room for a new kind of wing sauce after all.

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