Moonie's Texas Barbecue.. here we go!

pitmaster t · Posted: Jul 11 2011 Post subject:

A wise buisnessman told me once "time is money, how much you got to spend???" The 40-50 mile trip, to and fro, the shopping, unloading inventory when you get back, not to mention the possibility of dealing with bad weather would take the better part of a day. I just don't have that to spare. Good luck.

I noticed in your pricing you listed "name brand" beans and mayo. Can I ask why??? With the beans if it's "heat and serve" maybe I understand. Last week I paid $21.48 for 6/10 case of beans. Showboat not Bush from one of the dist. you have mentioned. By the time we add ground beef, onion, bell pepper and brown sugar, well, we don't figure their Showboats anymore. Wink

Same with mayo. We never serve it "straight up". We use it in dressings, dips and even in sauce. $24.85 for a 4/1gal case. Experimented with other (cheaper) brands till I got what I wanted.

Not "busting your chops" here. Just speaking from experience. For me, running around to p/u groceries just took to much time. More than you could imagine.

BTW, I hope I read this right 'cause it made me chuckle. "Authentic" Texas bbq place serving Canadian brisket. Say it ain't so!!! Laughing

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Due to recent cutbacks the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off!!!

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jul 11 2011 Post subject:

Your pricing is in a very large part set by your sales rep, if they see you as an easy mark, and think they can get away with charging you premium costs, they will continue to do it !Why? because it adds to their paycheck that they bring home.

Check several sources, and get a feel for what your costs are, and straight up tell your sales rep that they need to do better if they want you as a customer.

Delivery and hauling food yourself;
If you're passing a place anyways, and you have the time........... Maybe.
I need service from my vendors, it is not always just about cost.
Example, My main meat supplier; I call on Sunday evening before 10:00 P.M., and my delivery is here by 9:00 A.M. the next morning. Same deal with Wed for Thur. delivery. The driver takes it to my cooler, puts it in my cooler, and if I have stock left, he even rotates it for me and marks "Use First" on the older boxes.
I tried an alternate supplier last week due to an emergency, the driver dropped it at my back door, outside, at 12:30 in the afternoon during my lunch rush!!! I will never ever use them again due to the timing and drop location.

I do not care if I could realize a 50% savings, I am not hauling a half-ton of meat downstairs into my cooler by hand during my lunch rush after letting it sit outside in 90 degree weather. I was pissed! I am still pissed!
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

qfanatic01 · Posted: Jul 11 2011 Post subject:

I am fortunate to be in a metro area and have my pick of vendors as well as RD and Sam's. A couple of issues that come up as you are starting out are.
1. specs, finding a product you like and then finding the best
price. I found what I liked at RD I had to pick the case weight that gave me the yield. I had a hard time finding a vender that did enough volume in that item to be able to have enough in my specs. I agree with Harry and don't mind paying a bit more a pound for my back's sake. I would also use another label if it was as good.
2. minimums and broken cases. Some of the vendors have minimums and they just seem to be getting bigger. They also have a pretty good up charge for broken case sizes and sometimes it's cheaper to throw the spoils away than try to buy what you can use, where as with RD you buy what you need and also have storage for.

It's a pain in the butt to figure things out, but RD and Sam's soften my learning curve. I couldn't have gotten to where I am without them and a lot of will calls at Sysco. Sysco has now restricted will call business which I think will hurt their business with small business. If something comes up and you can't get their before lunch your screwed. Salesman can only do so much and can't deliver meats. Courier is only option $$$ in that situation. Trust me I've complained.

I buy knock offs when they work with my recipes, but sometimes there is no substitution for the original. Or in the case of mayo the only product of the same quality and profile is just as expensive because it's the same stuff just private labeled.

Find the best products for your recipes and then let the competition for you business be based on your standards and don't lower them. Anyone can make crappy BBQ. Sometimes you have to make the extra effort to be better than that. Cutting corners in your food quality is a recipe for failure.

Good luck
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The lessons are in the customer's criticism. They aren't always right. The rewards are their satisfaction.

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 11 2011 Post subject:

The reason I list named brands is because I've tried my side recipes with generic and honestly I didn't like the flavor. I'm not going to sacrifice quality to save money. Once I start doing that I believe the business will go down hill. The only alternative I've found that I don't mind is Dukes mayo over Hellman's.

Since I'm starting out one service on fri/sat/sun I think I can hack the trips. When I decide to expand my hours and services I'll factor in the higher cost of goods delivered.

I'm meeting with my contractor this afternoon to begin work on my list of items. We gotta get that wall removed and the lights hung. My pits will be here this week and to get them in the kitchen we gotta do a little demolition!

Moonie
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http://www.mooniestexasbarbecue.com

Poppa's PTL Club · Posted: Jul 12 2011 Post subject:

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

Woohoo!! Got a call about two hours ago that my smokers made it! Unloading them was not fun because they were teetering on the lift gate, man that was stressful! The guy that owns the antique auction house came over as they were unloading and wants me to start catering for them! He had two of his guys come over and help me uncrate them and get them inside. Man it's hot today, so yes I was sweating my you know what off. They are absolutely beautiful, and the construction is just second to none. I can't wait to test fire these in about a week when the kitchen construction is done.. so happy right now!!

Crated well!

Red white and blue baby

It's HOT today and my clothes got just a little wet!

Moonie
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http://www.mooniestexasbarbecue.com

BBQMAN · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

Good looking cookers! Cool

Why wait a week?

Get out back and lets see some of that Texas goodness we keep hearing about........................
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

Your back porch is broke?

Roll it out and fix some grub for those hungry workers.

All kidding aside, it also gives you some time to break both you and your new cookers in and get some experience cooking on them.

Do those cookers cook all night unattended?

Just curious (as usual) how you intend to work out timing issues?

Or are you living at your place three days a week?
_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

Poppa's PTL Club · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 13 2011 Post subject:

Poppa's PTL and BBQMAN - I found a good video for you guys to watch. It shows how little fuel you need for an all day burn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsQehahXy04

Moonie

EDIT: Here's one showing the capacity. One vault with 18 packers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5WAJAzJG5Q
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http://www.mooniestexasbarbecue.com

chachahutbbq · Posted: Jul 14 2011 Post subject:

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 14 2011 Post subject:

chachahutbbq, agreed I'd never pack them in there that tight. I just linked that video to show the possible capacity. Cody at Heirloom market in Atlanta has the same two pits I have, and he's doing 400-500 people every saturday so he's packing it in tight. Thanks for the post.

Moonie
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http://www.mooniestexasbarbecue.com

BBQMAN · Posted: Jul 14 2011 Post subject:

Here's my other problem (thanks for the video share)- I seem to have missed something about the automated fuel loader! Razz

Now I've never cooked on a Vault (but would like to) but what happens on an overnight cook longer than 6 hours?

For instance (and I do this quite a bit myself) you load briskets in at 10-11PM for a noonish serving time (at least mine cook 12 hours or so).

You get some sleep and come in at 6 AM (cause trust me, coming in at 4 AM is gonna get old REAL QUICK) to find out your fuel is spent.

Maybe with a modded minion method you will get a 8 hour burn?

But that wont work either, becuase you state:

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 14 2011 Post subject:

pitmaster t · Posted: Jul 14 2011 Post subject:

So where do the other 488 people stand!!! Laughing

Just kidding there. Consider yourself fortunate Hall Co. HD, FD and Code Enforcement signed off on those smokers. Spent the last two days with those same folks in Walton Co and the City of Monroe, they wouldn't even consider it. No how. No way. Don't even ask unless it's NSF/UL approved. I have a Superior Smoker that would have been perfect. Oh well, the wifes super excited about me purchasing one more smoker. Shocked

But the rest of the plan passed with flying colors. Remodeling a raunt in a 150 year old building gets more than a little interesting. Not only do you have to please the HD, FD and Code people but you get to deal with the Historical Assoc to boot.

YEA for me!!!
_________________
Due to recent cutbacks the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off!!!

BBQMAN · Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject:

Well okey dokey then.

I'm glad that I run all wood pits too!

They just happen to be gas assist as opposed to charcoal assist! Razz

_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

MooniesBBQ · Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject: