Since Bachan’s calls itself a Japanese barbeque sauce, and I didn’t see any Japanese BBQ sauce from Target to liken it to, I compared it to an 18-ounce bottle of Stubb’s Barbecue Sauce Original, which retails for $4.99 at Target. The Stubb’s $4.99 offering and Sweet Baby Ray’s $2.99 (both 18 ounces) option are considerably cheaper than Bachan’s 15.5-ounce bottle. Other sauces are more widely available at other grocery stores, not just Target, which is convenient if you don’t have a Target near you or don’t shop there frequently.

Compared to other BBQ sauces and spicy sauces, the dedication to ingredients could also be a significant factor if you want simpler ingredients. Stubb’s Barbecue Sauce Original has classic  BBQ sauce ingredients like tomato puree, distilled vinegar, sugar, molasses, and more. The listed ingredients also mention spices (which it says includes black pepper, paprika, and chili pepper, but doesn’t identify what else), corn starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, and natural flavor (including hickory smoke but doesn’t specify what else). You won’t find guar gum, xanthan gum, or natural flavor in the Hella Hot sauce. 

Consistency and versatility are other noticeable differences. Many barbecue sauces are thick and sticky, whereas Bachan’s isn’t. It’s also a mish-mash of BBQ, teriyaki, and hot sauce, so you may be able to find more use for it than the average BBQ or hot sauce alone.