What Bone Suckin' Sauce does

Bone Suckin' Sauce, legally Ford's Foods, Inc. (dba Ford's Gourmet Foods), is a family-owned specialty food company founded in September 1992 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company's core product is a Carolina-style barbecue sauce developed in the late 1980s by Phil Ford, who refined a version of his mother's western North Carolina recipe into a tomato-based sauce sweetened with honey and molasses, with apple cider vinegar, mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, onions, garlic, peppers, and natural hickory smoke. The brand-named by Sandi Ford-has since expanded into a portfolio of roughly 20+ SKUs spanning original/Eastern Vinegar/Sweet Southern BBQ sauces, steak sauce, Yaki teriyaki-style sauces, Hiccuppin' Hot habanero sauce, wing sauces (Honey & Habanero, Teriyaki & Ginger, Garlic & Honey), sweet and spicy mustards, multiple seasoning and rub variants (Original, All Purpose, Steak, Chicken, Cajun, Hot, Seafood) including bulk sizes, and a 2023-launched Hot Honey line. Products are produced by an FDA-certified North Carolina co-packer under the Ford family's recipe control and are sold in retail sizes of roughly 5-18 oz alongside food-service bulk formats.

Bone Suckin' Sauce goes to market through three primary channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce at shop.bonesuckin.com; grocery and specialty retail nationwide (with named placements including Harris Teeter and Fresh Market, plus additional distribution through leading chains); and international export, which the company describes as approximately 10-15% of business spanning Canada and the United Kingdom (including Harvey Nichols in London). Marketing is supported by a full social footprint (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok), a recipe content hub at recipes.bonesuckin.com, the Backyard Club email newsletter, and aggressive participation in industry awards that has produced recognition from Newsweek (#1 Sauce in America), Food & Wine (#1 BBQ Sauce), Health Magazine (Grade A+), Bon Appetit, the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame (Sandi Ford), and NAAMO Marketer of the Year 2024.

The business model is asset-light specialty CPG: bone-suckin' sells physical goods on a one-time-purchase basis through owned DTC and wholesale/retail channels, with a small core team of 1-10 employees, no external institutional capital, and no disclosed revenue. The category positioning emphasizes clean-label credentials (Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free certified, kosher pareve, no high fructose corn syrup, fat-free), Carolina heritage, and award-winning flavor. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the company site; product mix and channel distribution drive revenue mechanics rather than subscription, licensing, or platform models.

Name

Bone Suckin' Sauce

Legal name

Ford's Foods, Inc.

Website

https://bonesuckin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bone Suckin' Sauce is a family-owned specialty food company headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, that produces clean-label barbecue sauces, mustards, seasonings, wing sauces, and hot honey products. The company sells through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, grocery and specialty retail, and exports to Canada and the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Foods — Barbecue Sauces, Condiments, and Seasonings

NAICS

Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941), Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturing (31194)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

BBQ Sauce & Marinades Manufacturing (AFAKADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hot Sauce & Chili Sauce Manufacturing (AFAKADAE)

Keywords

• Barbecue sauces
• Specialty condiments
• Dry rubs seasonings
• Hot honey products
• Carolina style sauces

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Consumer Packaged Goods (Sauces, Seasonings, Condiments): Revenue generated from the sale of barbecue sauces, mustards, seasonings, hot honey, and wing sauces to consumers through retail and e-commerce channels. The company sells directly to consumers via their online shop and through distributors to grocery and specialty retailers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Bone Suckin' Sauce manufactures and sells a portfolio of Carolina-style barbecue sauces, mustards, dry seasonings and rubs, wing sauces, teriyaki-style sauces, habanero hot sauce, and hot honey products. Production is conducted through a North Carolina co-packer using a proprietary family recipe, with distribution through the company's own e-commerce shop, grocery and specialty retailers, and international export channels.

Product overview

Bone Suckin' Sauce is a family-owned specialty food company founded in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1992, producing a diverse portfolio of barbecue sauces, mustards, seasonings and rubs, and hot honey products. The core product line centers on Bone Suckin' Sauce Sweet Southern (original Carolina-style BBQ sauce available in regular, spicy, and thick varieties) and the newly launched Eastern Vinegar (vinegar-forward NC style). The company extends its flavor expertise into steak sauces, teriyaki/yaki sauces, wing sauces, and mustards as supporting product categories. Seasonings and rubs include specialized blends for all-purpose use, steaks, chicken, seafood, Cajun, and hot applications. The Hot Honey line offers sweet-heat fusion products. Most products are available in standard retail sizes (5-18 oz) and bulk/jug sizes for food service. All products emphasize clean label ingredients: non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, no high fructose corn syrup, and nut/dairy-free.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bone Suckin' Sauce Sweet Southern Original signature thick, sweet Carolina-style barbecue sauce made with honey, molasses, apple cider vinegar, horseradish, and mustard. Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, fat-free. For home cooks and grilling enthusiasts.
• Bone Suckin' Sauce Eastern Vinegar BBQ Sauce Vinegar-forward Eastern North Carolina style barbecue sauce with bold tang and pepper heat. Made with apple cider vinegar, cane sugar, tomato paste, and spices. For home cooks and barbecue enthusiasts seeking an authentic Eastern NC sauce.
• Bone Suckin' Steak Sauce Chophouse Style Tangy, savory steak sauce with light smoke flavor and bits of onion and garlic. Non-GMO, gluten-free, fat-free, kosher. Voted Top 5 BBQ Sauces in Women's Health Magazine. For steak and grilled meat consumers.
• Bone Suckin' Yaki Teriyaki Style Sauce Teriyaki-style sauce made with tamari soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Gluten-free, non-GMO, kosher. For pork tenderloin, salmon, thin cut steaks, and stir fry.
• Bone Suckin' Hiccuppin' Hot Habanero Sauce Habanero-based hot sauce with natural ingredients including tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, honey, and molasses. 1st Place Winner at the Fiery Food Challenge. For heat-and-flavor seekers.
• Bone Suckin' Wing Sauce Honey & Habanero Wing sauce combining sweet honey with fiery habanero peppers. Award winner at BBQ Sauce National Championships and Best in Class from National Honey Board. For wing and grilled protein preparation.
• Bone Suckin' Wing Sauce Teriyaki & Ginger Teriyaki-style wing sauce with ginger for Asian-inspired flavor. Sweet and savory with a ginger kick. For wing and Asian-style meal preparation.
• Bone Suckin' Wing Sauce Garlic & Honey Wing sauce featuring garlic and honey combination for a sweet and savory flavor profile. For wing preparation at home or foodservice.
• Bone Suckin' Mustard Gourmet mustard with sweet and tangy creamy texture. Gluten-free, non-GMO, no high fructose corn syrup, kosher. World Champion winner for sweet mustard category. For condiment use and cooking.
• Bone Suckin' Sweet Spicy Mustard Jalapeño-infused gourmet mustard with sweet and spicy kick. National Champion winner for spicy mustard by Illinois BBQ Society. For sandwich, condiment, and cooking applications.
• Bone Suckin' Seasoning & Rub Original Original all-purpose seasoning blend for grilling and barbecuing. Top 10 World Championships winner at Memphis in May. Versatile for meats, vegetables, and more. For grillers and home cooks.
• Bone Suckin' All Purpose Seasoning & Rub All-in-one seasoning for plant proteins, meats and vegetables. 2025 Scovie Awards Winner in Condiments Dry Rub/Seasoning category. For home cooks seeking a versatile clean-label rub.
• Bone Suckin' Steak Seasoning & Rub Specialized seasoning blend for steaks featuring coarse salt, dehydrated onion and garlic, spices and smoked paprika. Non-GMO verified, gluten-free, kosher, pareve, no MSG. For steak preparation.
• Bone Suckin' Chicken Seasoning & Rub Poultry-specific dry rub seasoning optimized for chicken. Available in standard and bulk sizes. For chicken and poultry preparation at home or foodservice.
• Bone Suckin' Cajun Seasoning & Rub Cajun spice blend with a balanced amount of heat. Winner of Clean Eating's Clean Choice Award in Spices & Seasoning category. For seafood, poultry, steaks, pork, pasta, fries, rice, vegetables, and gumbos.
• Bone Suckin' Hot Seasoning & Rub Hot version of the original seasoning with cayenne kick added to brown sugar, paprika, garlic and spices. Spicy, salty and sweet with noticeable heat. For grilled and barbecued proteins.
• Bone Suckin' Seafood Seasoning & Rub Seafood-specific seasoning born on the North Carolina Coast. Non-GMO Project Verified. For salmon, flounder, trout, mahi-mahi, shrimp, scallops, and vegetables.
• Bone Suckin' Hot Honey Sweet and spicy honey blend with apple cider vinegar and chile pepper extract. For drizzling on wings, pizza, ribs, fried chicken, burgers, salmon, and more.
• Bone Suckin' Extra Hot Honey Higher heat version of Bone Suckin' Hot Honey with increased chile pepper extract. Same sweet honey base with a more intense heat level. For spicy honey drizzle applications.
• The Slop Mop Grilling accessory tool designed to help coat food with Bone Suckin' Sauce during cooking. Durable, easy-to-clean design for barbecue enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named #1 Sauce in America by Newsweek Magazine
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NC Co-Packer (Contract Manufacturer)coreOthers · 1 January 1992The company partnered with a North Carolina co-packer to manufacture Bone Suckin' Sauce based on the Ford family recipe. The co-packer had the manufacturing facility set up with FDA and health certifications, giving the company a jump-start in production while allowing them to concentrate on bringing products to market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BoneSuckinSauce
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1-288oeFb-U3idyJBxsHiw
• Facebookfacebook.com/BarbecueSauce
• Instagraminstagram.com/bonesuckinsauce
• Pinterestpinterest.com/bonesuckinsauce
• TikToktiktok.com/@bonesuckinofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fords-foods-inc.

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Bone Suckin' Sauce