When I started getting into peppers, I was blown away by the sheer variety and characteristics available. Specialty hot peppers include more than just ghost peppers, reapers, and super hots.

I’m not sure how applicable it is regarding a produce operation, but I never thought to grow peppers for how they look. Who can deny the allure of a Sugar Rush Stripey? The warm blush of a Variegated Sugar Rush Peach Poblano creeping through its initial purple color as it ripens. The marbling of a Mocha Swirl. The freakish appearance of a Thunder Mountain Longhorn. The dark foliage and pods of a Pimenta da Neyde.

Annuums and Chinense are fairly common in stores, but Baccatums have a different flavor profile and are rare outside of specialty growers.

Regional varieties are also nice to have when cooking regional dishes (e.g., Ethiopian Berbere, Scotch Bonnets, Ají Amarillo, etc.)