Bone Suckin' Sauce

Overview

Bone Suckin' Sauce is a brand of barbecue sauces and related food products produced by Ford's Gourmet Foods, known for its tomato-based sauce sweetened with honey and molasses. The brand offers sauces, seasonings, nuts, and snacks distributed worldwide to over 80 countries. It originated from a family recipe and gained recognition through sauce competitions and international food shows.

History

Phil Ford developed the sauce recipe around 1987 based on his mother's western North Carolina-style barbecue sauce. In 1992, Phil partnered with his brother Lynn and sister-in-law Sandi to form Ford’s Foods, naming the product Bone Suckin' Sauce after Sandi's observation of bone-sucking enjoyment. The sauce won the NC Battle of the Sauces in 1994 and debuted at the International Fancy Food Show that year, leading to global exports. The family business, rooted in a fourth-generation produce operation started in 1946, expanded with sons Vaughn and Patrick joining in 1993 and 1997.

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Products are manufactured through a North Carolina co-packer that handles mixing and production based on the company's recipes, with FDA and health certifications. Some items like pecan brittle are handcrafted in Turkey, North Carolina. This setup allowed the family to focus on marketing from the start in 1992.

Notable Products

• Bone Suckin' Sauce Original - Tomato-based barbecue sauce with honey, molasses, and natural hickory smoke.
• Bone Suckin' Sauce Hot - Tangy and smoky barbecue sauce with added heat from peppers.
• Fire Dancer Jalapeño Peanuts - Roasted peanuts with jalapeño seasoning, awarded by UK Foreign Food Guild and US Fiery Food Challenge.
• Wine Nuts - Non-GMO, gluten-free candied nuts in various flavors.
• Pecan Brittle - Handmade brittle featuring North Carolina pecans.

Reputation

Bone Suckin' Sauce is recognized among barbecue enthusiasts for its clean ingredients, lack of high fructose corn syrup, and authentic Southern flavor, with wins in sauce competitions and high ratings from publications like Newsweek and Food & Wine. Professionals note its strong international presence and family-owned heritage as strengths. Some critiques mention higher pricing compared to mass-market sauces, though quality justifies it for specialty buyers.