Barbecue News Magazine

What Barbecue News Magazine does

Barbecue News Magazine is a privately held, family-owned niche publishing company founded in 1990 by Joe Phelps and Donald 'Doc' Gillis as National Barbecue News, a monthly tabloid serving the U.S. barbecue community. The publication was acquired by Kell Phelps in 2002-2003 and now operates under his and Janet Phelps's ownership, with a headcount in the 1-10 range. It serves three core segments: backyard barbecue enthusiasts seeking recipes and product reviews, BBQ competition participants needing event information, and BBQ business owners (restaurants, sauce/rub makers, equipment manufacturers) seeking industry coverage.

The company's product is a monthly magazine covering backyard cooking, competition results, and BBQ industry news. The underlying technology is a digital flipping magazine format that replicates website pages for any digital device, complemented by a content website (BarbecueNews.com), an email list, and social channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and TikTok. The print edition was discontinued after 35 years with December 2025 as the final print issue, shifting the business to a digital-only model. Adjacent product lines include the BBQ & Grilling Marketplace directory, a Barbecue Events Calendar, and the proprietary Rubs of Honor and Sauces of Honor annual competitions that monetize the BBQ products ecosystem.

The business model combines consumer subscriptions (digital at $7 for 3 months or $20 annually, plus a final print issue at $8) with advertising sales across digital magazine, website, mobile, e-mail blasts, and social channels. Distribution is primarily self-serve via the website, supported by Official Publication partnerships with at least eight BBQ governing bodies including the National Barbecue & Grilling Association (NBBQA), Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), Steak Cookoff Association, California BBQ Association, Minnesota Barbeque Society, and Northeast Barbecue Society. The publication reaches over 50,000 avid barbecuers monthly, with 108,053 annual unique website visits, 13,000 email subscribers, and a 43% email open rate.

Name

Barbecue News Magazine

Legal name

Barbecue News Magazine

Website

https://barbecuenews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Barbecue News Magazine is a privately held, family-owned niche publishing company (founded 1990) that produces a monthly digital magazine and website covering backyard cooking, BBQ competitions, and the BBQ industry for enthusiasts, competitors, and BBQ-related businesses in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Interest Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers (MPAJADAC)

Keywords

• Barbecue magazine publishing
• BBQ digital content
• Niche food publishing
• BBQ competition coverage
• Special interest media

Headquarters

HQ city

Douglas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Monthly or annual digital subscriptions providing access to all magazine content, including the last 11 months of back issues.
2. Print Subscriptions: Print magazine subscription (December 2025 marked as the last print issue after 35 years).
3. Advertising: Revenue from advertisers wanting to reach the barbecue enthusiast audience through digital magazine, BarbecueNews.com, mobile devices, email blasts, and social media ads. Various ad formats available including display ads, direct link boxes, and e-blast placements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Barbecue News Magazine is a monthly publication covering all aspects of barbecue and grilling, available in both print (through December 2025) and digital editions. The magazine delivers recipes, product reviews, competition news, business coverage, and a restaurant guide to BBQ enthusiasts and industry participants, supported by advertising sales across its digital magazine, website, email, and social channels.

Product overview

Barbecue News Magazine is a monthly publication covering all aspects of barbecue and grilling. The company operates a platform-plus-products model consisting of the core Barbecue News Magazine (available in both print and digital subscription formats), the annual Rubs of Honor competition for BBQ sauces and rubs, the BBQ & Grilling Marketplace directory, and advertising services for BBQ industry companies. The magazine reaches over 50,000 avid barbecuers monthly across print, digital, and social channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Barbecue News Magazine (Print/Digital) The original monthly barbecue and grilling magazine published monthly, covering backyard recipes, BBQ competitions, business news, restaurant recommendations, and industry events, offered in both print and digital editions.
• 1 Year Digital Subscription Annual digital subscription providing access to all monthly digital editions formatted for any digital device, plus access to the last 11 months of back issues. Priced at $20.00 for 1 year.
• 3 Month Digital Subscription Short-term digital subscription providing 3 months of access to all monthly digital editions. Priced at $7.00.
• December 2025 Final Print Issue The final print issue of Barbecue News Magazine after 35 years of publication, marking the transition to digital-only format. Priced at $8.00.
• Rubs of Honor Competition Annual competition recognizing the best BBQ rubs in the United States, featured in the Competition section of the magazine.
• Sauces of Honor Competition Annual competition recognizing excellence in barbecue sauces, featured in the Competition section of the magazine.
• BBQ & Grilling Marketplace Directory A directory connecting barbecue enthusiasts with BBQ products and services, featuring sponsored listings from various BBQ companies and organizations.
• Barbecue Events Calendar Calendar of upcoming BBQ competitions and events, featuring partnerships with Steak Cookoff Association, KCBS, and California BBQ Association.
• Advertising/Media Kit Advertising opportunities reaching over 50,000 avid barbecuers monthly through digital magazine, BarbecueNews.com, mobile devices, e-mail blasts, and social media ads in multiple ad formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Now reaching over 50,000 avid barbecuers monthly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Barbecue & Grilling Association (NBBQA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarbecue News Magazine is the Official Publication of the National Barbecue & Grilling Association, providing coverage and promotion of the organization's activities and initiatives.
• Minnesota Barbeque SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial publication partnership providing coverage of Minnesota BBQ events and society activities.
• Northeast Barbecue Society (NEBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial publication partnership covering Northeast US BBQ competitions and activities.
• Steak Cookoff AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial publication partnership covering steak cookoff competitions and providing event calendar access.
• Amazing Ribs Pitmaster ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial publication partnership with AmazingRibs.com's pitmaster community.
• California BBQ AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial publication partnership covering California BBQ events and competitions.
• Mid Atlantic BBQ AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial publication partnership covering Mid-Atlantic region BBQ activities.
• Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as an official BBQ organization partner with coverage of KCBS competition events.
• Steak Cookoff AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial publication providing event calendar access and competition coverage for steak cookoff events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AmazingRibs.com: Deep, free BBQ/grilling content site covering techniques, recipes, equipment reviews, and the Pitmaster Club. Directly comparable as the most prominent BBQ-focused content brand; notably already a partner of Barbecue News Magazine.
• Texas Monthly BBQ: BBQ editorial franchise within Texas Monthly featuring the famous BBQ rankings and pit profiles. Comparable as a premium BBQ-focused editorial product serving enthusiast and competition audiences.
• Grill Magazine (Birchwood Publishing): Magazine dedicated to grilling, smoking, and BBQ techniques. Closely comparable as a niche BBQ/grilling enthusiast publication with subscription and advertising revenue.

Broad incumbents

• Food Network Magazine: Mass-market food and cooking magazine affiliated with the Food Network TV brand. Comparable as a periodical covering food and cooking content, but at far larger scale and broader mainstream audience.
• Cook's Illustrated: Subscription-based cooking publication known for recipe testing and equipment reviews. Comparable as a paid food/cooking subscription magazine serving enthusiast home cooks, though covering all cuisines rather than BBQ-specific.
• Taste of Home: Family-focused food and cooking media brand with magazine and substantial digital presence. Comparable as a broad consumer cooking publication with subscription and advertising revenue models.
• Bon Appétit: Premium food and cooking magazine with strong digital subscription model and authoritative brand. Comparable as a paid food/cooking periodical, though focused on restaurant and chef culture rather than backyard BBQ.
• Saveur: Food culture and cooking magazine with strong enthusiast brand. Comparable as a niche-driven cooking periodical monetized through subscriptions and advertising.
• Southern Living: Lifestyle magazine covering Southern food, including significant BBQ coverage. Comparable as a regional food/lifestyle publication with subscription model and BBQ-relevant content.

Others

• Kingsford Charcoal / BBQ Influencer Network: Major charcoal brand and BBQ-adjacent media ecosystem. Comparable as a BBQ-industry participant with overlapping audiences and advertising interests, though not a direct editorial competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BBQNewsMagazine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTXcDfyiI6zsnvjYNcGwO8g
• Facebookfacebook.com/National-Barbecue-News-307857583784
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalbbqnews
• Pinterestpinterest.com/barbecuenews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-barbecue-news

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barbecue News Magazine