From the Kitchen to the Shelves
Local Stores Sell Take-Home Versions of Signature Products

Dave Jones is packaging up 18 years of barbecue know-how in an attempt to extend his restaurant business into retail channels. "It's a whole 'nother beast going into retail mass-production," says Jones, the Big Dave of Big Dave's Famous BBQ and Big Dave's Signature Catering.

Jones has packages of his barbecued ribs selling in some local Bi-Lo and Ingles grocery stores, and he plans to sell sauces and chopped barbecue. He's one of many restaurateurs seeking to place their products into retail channels.

Big Dave, who built his reputation by catering meals for National Football League teams, says he always wanted to package and sell his barbecue products. "My focus right now is on these ribs," Jones says. "But it's going to be a whole barbecue line.

Jones operates his catering and restaurant business from a location in Clemson, SC on Tiger Boulevard (US 123). He says he understands that the grocery business is a lot different than the restaurant business. "It's exciting, but it's still rolling-up-the-sleeves time," Jones says. "I've got to do my homework and make sure I make the best out of this situation."

Big Dave's Ribs earned an award from the Bi-Lo/Bruno's corporation for "Minority/Woman-Based Company for 2004."  Dave Proudly displays his "Star" in his restaurant.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 10, 2005

David & Patricia Jones are very small restaurant and catering owners who aspired to dream a little bigger and believed we could develop a pre-cooked barbeque pork spare rib that would have you thinking that you are back at the old family reunion picnic with those grills smoking, yet right in your kitchen you can place our rib product on a platter and serve up a flavorful, saucy slab of rib pre-cooked that will melt in your kid’s mouths, without lighting the grill.  But Big Dave does prefer searing his rib ends on the grill in which the flavor is even more enhanced.  We also kept in mind that our rib product is affordable by anyone in the grocery market being sold at 1.25 lbs for $7.99 retail.

This began in 2002 where the idea went from our mind to a written out plan that included Clemson University Food & Agriculture Department.  Developing a label concept packaging and a nutritional label was among the unfamiliar tasks that we had to learn quickly, and then the actual rib product had to be tested for shelf life, ability to maintain in a frozen state and remain fresh while frozen.  We passed all of these tests and this truly took a high degree of persistency and fortitude.

Once we had a product fully prototyped and ready to demo, thanks to John & Joann, owner of Spartanburg Meats in Spartanburg, SC our manufacturing plant today, we were ready to submit samples to the market place.  Bi-Lo was one of our first.  We met with them at their Mauldin, SC corporate offices and cooked up & served slabs and presented them to Bi-Lo.  They called us the next week and stated they were putting us in all their stores in March of 2005.  After Bi-Lo, we developed a relationship with the grocery chain, Food Lion and now we have our delicious ribs in seven (7) of their Distribution Centers.  Then we started submitting requests to Wal-Mart to become a vendor.  This process actually took five (5) months to complete.  Today Big Dave’s Ribs will be shipped to two (2) of Wal-Mart’s Distribution Centers in Pageland, SC and Monroe, GA.  From there Wal-Mart trucks will deliver Big Dave’s Ribs throughout GA, SC, NC, VA, TN and West VA.

From the desk of Big Dave, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking Big Dave’s Ribs into your home. 

To learn more about Big Dave & his rib business along with his small BBQ restaurant and catering business in Clemson, SC, please visit our website at www.bigdavesribs.com.