There’s the rub: NZ meat seasoning wins at world’s biggest barbecue competition

A Kiwi artisan sauce and seasoning maker is eyeing expansion into the US market after one of its meat rubs won a place at the world’s largest barbecue competition in America. The New Zealand-made Manuka Hot Honey Rub from The Four Saucemen company saw off more than 900 entries to claim sixth place at the annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque in Kansas City, Missouri. Four Saucemen co-founder Adam Winter said in response to post-competition demand, the company would export to the US a shipment 10 times larger than previous orders and expand its range on Amazon as a first step to breaking into the huge US market.

The company, founded in 2019 by Winter and his wife Sarah in their home kitchen and garage with a start-up investment of $10,000, today sells more than 120,000 meat sauce, rub and seasoning products a year to customers in New Zealand and Australia and through online channels. Winter said while the potential volume of the US market was the logical next step beyond the transtasman wholesale and retail channels, the company planned a conservative, staged entry into North America..