Crushed red pepper factories are responsible for processing and packaging the dried and crushed fruits of the Capsicum annuum plant, typically the cayenne pepper variety. These peppers are harvested when they are fully ripe and have developed their signature spicy flavor. The peppers are then dried and ground into flakes or powder, which are then packaged and sold to consumers.
La Vera Smoked Sweet Paprika is also known as dulce. Much like its spicier cousin, this sweet paprika is made by drying freshly-harvested, ripe, red peppers in low-lying, adobe smoke houses. They are placed of smoking grills fired with slow-burning oak planks. After smoking, the paprika is milled by electrically powered stone wheels which must turn very slowly, as heat from friction adversely affects the signature color and flavor.

