BIG NEWS!
Rupari Foods And AmazingRibs.com Join Forces
Two barbecue leaders join forces to bring the art and science of barbecue, grilling and outdoor cooking to consumers throughout the country
February 10, 2015 – Rupari Foods, one of the world's largest producers of pre-cooked "heat and eat" ribs, pulled pork and other barbecue meats for grocery stores, has purchased AmazingRibs.com, the world's largest and most popular barbecue and grilling education website.
Based in Brookfield, IL, near Chicago, AmazingRibs.com is by far the largest and most popular barbecue and grilling website in the world with almost 1.5 million visitor per month. The site is rich with recipes, tips on technique, mythbusting science, and product reviews.
Based in South Holland, IL, also near Chicago, Rupari is famous for producing Tony Roma's slow cooked and naturally smoked ribs and pulled pork barbecue, available throughout the country in groceries.
"Not only do we love the convenience of ready-to-eat barbecue, we love cooking from scratch," said Jack Kelly, CEO of Rupari. "The barbecue market is in for explosive growth, and this positions us to better meet the needs of the consumer by keeping our finger on the pulse of barbecue lovers and adds a talented cook to our product development team."
Meathead Goldwyn, founder of AmazingRibs.com, will join Rupari as President of the new AmazingRibs.com division. "Nothing on AmazingRibs.com will change other than we now have a savvy partner with visibility in hundreds of stores. This will help us reach more people," he said. "And we now have financial muscle behind us if we need it. But best of all, I won't have to do payroll and file tax returns! That alone will save me many hours that I can devote to recipe development! Also, our employees now all get 401K plans and comprehensive health care. We are thrilled!"
Most important for the many loyal fans of AmazingRibs.com, this insures the survival of the website should Meathead die. "I was sole proprietor and I am 65. My wife had no interest in running the business. Now we have a succession mechanism."
"This is our gift to barbecue lovers and grilling enthusiasts everywhere," said Kelly. "There will always be an AmazingRibs.com."
Meathead adds "Nobody need worry. I am in good health and I plan to work many more years. I love what I am doing! I come down the stairs of my home in my sweat pants and my commute is over. In addition to cooking, writing, and taking pictures for a living, I now have the opportunity to work with Rupari to create new and improved barbecue for grocery stores and restaurants. Think about the potential: Only 40% of the nation's grocery stores carry ready to eat barbecue. That means a lot of room for growth. This is a great challenge for me."
