Ashley Foods Wholesale has become a sponsor of our show and the 2021 Scovie Awards. The fact that this company, long-known as a retailer with the Mad Dog line of sauces, is now supplying the industry with fresh frozen chiles, dried chiles, pepper mash, and cayenne powder indicates to me that our industry is stable and growing.
Total sales of hot sauce in the United States from 2008 to 2016 (18 percent growth) with projected figures strong from 2017 through 2022. By 2022, total sales of hot sauce in the United States is projected to reach 1.65 billion U.S. dollars. Since sales in 2012 were $1.34 billion, this will be an increase of 19 percent, meaning hot sauce sales are enjoying steady growth.
In the barbecue segment of our industry, in 2016, about 1.47 billion U.S. dollars worth of grills and barbecues were sold in the United States, up from 1.21 billion dollars in 2009. Pellet grills, which experienced 9.1 percent more growth in 2016 compared to the previous year, are fueled by wood pellets rather than gas or charcoal, which are more traditional and common in the United States.
And the fact that Texas barbecue isn’t defined by its sauce didn’t stop Stubb’s—the sixth-largest barbecue sauce brand in the country—from fetching a cool $100 million for its sale to the spice-and-seasoning giant McCormick’s recently.
The two most challenging aspects of the fiery foods and barbecue industry have been suppliers to small producers and distributors for producers of all sizes. At least one of these challenges is now being addressed by Ashley Foods Wholesale.
New Show Sponsor Means Added Industry Stability
