BBQ Sauces, Potato Chips, & More with @lilliesq 's Charlie McKenna

#bbq #podcast #food In this episode, Duce sits down with Charlie McKenna of Lillie’s Q to dive into the incredible journey of building a national BBQ brand. Charlie shares how he transitioned from cooking competition sauces to bottling regional varieties like Memphis, Carolina, and Alabama styles, and eventually scaled into 15,000+ stores across 20+ countries. He breaks down the business of consumer packaged goods (CPG), including distributor relationships, slim profit margins, and the grind behind growing a successful product line. They also explore how Charlie’s potato chips—born out of a downtown Chicago food stall—found their way into airlines like United, American, and Delta. Hear why chips are a higher-turn product than sauce, what it takes to succeed in the CPG space, and why having a strong team is key to expanding beyond the restaurant. This conversation wraps with stories about Memphis in May, BBQ competitions, and family life. Whether you’re a barbecue enthusiast, a food entrepreneur, or just love a good business story, this one’s packed with real talk and BBQ wisdom. 00:00 – The Southern Roots of Charlie’s BBQ Journey3:47 – Charlie’s Unexpected Road to BBQ8:30 – How BBQ Competitions Bonded Charlie and His Dad15:25 – How a Recession Sparked Lillie’s Q20:49 – Roux Restaurant & Origins24:23 – Keeping the Menu Simple26:05 – Tri-Tip, Brisket & Barbecue Evolution32:09 – Secrets of BBQ & Smokers & Holding Units36:51 – Starting the Sauce & Rub Business39:02 – Scaling with Distribution & Fancy Food Show41:01 – Building a Consumer Goods Brand44:03 – The Work Behind the Success47:50 – Launching the Kettle Chips Line51:23 – Memphis in May, Community, and FamilyFollow Charlie on Social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_cmckenna_/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilliesQX: https://x.com/LilliesQChicagoTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lilliesq?lang=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lilliesq/featuredWebsite: https://charliemckenna.co/Follow Us on SocialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetbabyrayscatering/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sweetbabyrayscatering  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetbabyrayscatering  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-baby-ray's-catering/?viewAsMember=true    Website: https://www.sweetbabyraysbbq.com/