"Barbecue is just a good time business. Similar to when people show up with a pack of beers, when someone shows up with barbecue sauce, you know you're in for a good time. Usually it's a gathering with family and friends, and it gives you a chance to slow down from your busy lives."
-Roland Dees, owner
Recently, Trip Advisor rated Georgia as the number one state in the U.S. for barbecue, leading in front of North Carolina and Texas. Each state has its different varieties: North Carolina is vinegar-based, South Carolina sauce shines gold with mustard, and Texas barbecue tends to be more tomato-based. But what makes Georgia unique is our hybrid of all three.
We talked with owner Roland Neel of Mrs. Griffin's Barbecue Sauce, the second oldest barbecue sauce company in the country.
Mrs. Griffin’s Barbecue Sauce has been around for 80 years. How did the company start out?
One of the relatives of the Griffin family would bring mustard down to Macon from South Carolina, and the Griffins would use it at the family's annual 4th of July cookouts. After the Great Depression, they decided to start selling it at stores in South Georgia.
How has the company grown over the years?
It started in Mrs. Griffin’s kitchen in Macon, and now we have a 8,000 square foot facility and produce 1,600 gallons a week. We started selling just in Macon and South Georgia, and now we’ve expanded to the Atlanta market and South Carolina.
Why do you think Georgia is the best state for barbecue?
We always knew Georgia had the best barbecue sauce, we’re just glad everyone else figured it out. Georgia’s traditional barbecue sauce is a hybrid that the barbecue region rules were written around: vinegar, tomato and mustard bases combined.
How is Mrs. Griffin’s Barbecue Sauce different?
We stuck to the old-fashioned way and our goal is to make traditional sauce with the finest ingredients. We don’t cook our sauce, because that takes away some of the flavor. Our sauce takes four days to make and involves 12 steps. We mix it for three to four hours in a 60-gallon vat and add seven secret spices. The sauce lends itself to a thinner version. And there is less sugar and no artificial flavors, so it isn’t as sweet as traditional sauces.
Is there a season for barbecue sauce?
July 4th is the peak demand for barbecue, although we see an increase in sales during football and hunting season as well.
Mrs. Griffin's has expanded to Atlanta, and is available in Kroger and Food Depot. You can also order online here.
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