Texass BBQ Foods is a family owned Taranaki business that started out as a labour of love. But the unique smokey flavour of their products has led them to a great deal of success and is what will carry them into the future.
What is your company background and how did your business start?
"This company really is a hobby that has run amuck. To me, it’s a personal passion as I love to cook and share my creations with others. My background was in engineering, and I spent a lot of my time working on and inspecting oil and gas plants around the globe. When I started commuting back and forth to Houston Texas, I got to try real Texas BBQ for the first time, and just fell in love with the flavour and texture.”
“From there, we bought a small smoker and started trying to cook our own BBQ style foods at home. Initially, it was a disaster. The meat was tough and quite inedible, but luckily the neighbours had a big dog who got subsequently well fed. We were stubborn and kept on trying and trying, until we began to perfect the techniques required, and ended up cooking some superb meat. Initially, we cooked just for family and friends. But they all said what we were making was just so good that it needed to be shared with the rest of New Zealand. So, Texas BBQ Foods was born.”
What is your current product range and variants? How do these products stand out in the market?
“We currently have six primary smoked products for retail and food service sectors. All of our products come in ready to eat packs which have been pre-portioned and sliced. It just can’t be any simpler for our customers. Our range includes a Beef Brisket, Pork Belly, Premium Beef, Premium Pork, Naturally Smoked Cheese and Naturally Smoked Butter.”
“We have some unique ways we process our products. We import Mesquite from North America to smoke our meat because local hardwoods and traditional Hickory don’t work anywhere near as well. We also have a proprietary rub that we developed to ensure that we get a truly balanced flavour. True Texas BBQ must have all three key flavours in total balance. You must be able to taste the meat, the smoke and the seasoning without anyone being too overpowering.”
“Due to the process, we use we have eliminated any 'secondary burning' of the wood, and any carryover from the smoking process. This means we get a true, clean smoke that is sweet and has no after taste or carryover of tannins, creosotes and or carcinogens.”
“The unique flavours, lack of aftertaste and simple re-heat make our products unique when compared to what else is in the market currently. We are popular among potential customers because there is no cooking required. The products can be eaten cold from the packet or simply requires a 30-second re-heat if desired. This extends into the food service industry where simple re-heating in the kitchen reduces prep time and resources, enabling customers to enjoy genuine Texas BBQ as good as we get when we take it from the smokers.”
“Additional stand out features of our products include: Being extremely low in sugar and salt, containing no artificial colours, flavourings, additives, preservatives, fillers or extenders, a shelf life of six months when kept chilled and being MSG and gluten-free."
Has there been any recent company news?
“We recently won the New Zealand Artisan Foods Award for our Smoked Beef Brisket and Pork Belly, with our Smoked Butter being a finalist.”
“We are taking on an average of one new supermarket per week currently and are looking to expand into over 400 supermarkets and 200 restaurants throughout NZ before the middle of the year.”
“We also have some new products we are currently testing and preparing for market. This includes Pork Spare Ribs which are cooked and can be eaten cold from the pack or with a 60-second reheat in the microwave in the pack.”
What are the plans for the business moving forward, are there any expansions on the horizon?
“We have expansions planned to upsize the total capacity of the facility. The expansion will coincide with our export requirements.”
Where are your products currently available to buy, and are you looking at or wanting to expand your availability? If so, where would you like to see the product situated?
“Currently we are available in 80 supermarkets and a selection of restaurants throughout New Zealand. These include a variety of New World, Pack N Save and Countdown outlets. We are looking to expand the number of supermarkets and restaurants that stock and use our products."
“Additionally, we are currently experimenting with a special line of products that can be branded with a unique supermarket line. We are also looking to export product to South East Asia in the near future.”
