Big Pig Barbecue & Catering

What Big Pig Barbecue & Catering does

Big Pig Barbecue & Catering is a privately held, founder-owned BBQ catering company headquartered in Peabody, Massachusetts, that has been operating in the Boston metro area since 2008. The company's core product is full-service on-site BBQ catering in which its pitmasters and grill masters transport equipment to customer locations and cook fresh on-site, supported by drop-and-serve and delivery-only options. It offers six structured packages (Backyard BBQ, Uptown BBQ, Southern Smoke, Big Pig Roast, Build Your Own BBQ, and Build Your Own Pig Roast) plus an a la carte "BBQ By The Tray" line for pickup and delivery, and bundles the catering with tent, table, chair, and staffing coordination through vendor partners (Titan Tent, Premier Services).

The underlying technology is conventional: traditional low-and-slow smoking and on-site grilling, with no proprietary systems, automation, or AI/ML components. Digital infrastructure consists of a website, a ToastTab ordering integration, social media channels, an email newsletter, and a Yelp profile; the company has no native mobile app, no API, and no disclosed software platform. The business model is event-driven professional services revenue: custom per-person quotes for on-site catering, plus transactional sales for tray orders via ToastTab, with no publicly disclosed price list.

The company serves three primary customer segments: corporate events (employee appreciation, company picnics, and large corporate functions up to 5,000 attendees), weddings and rehearsal dinners, and personal celebrations (birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, backyard parties). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via website inquiry form, phone, referrals, and word-of-mouth, with a curated network of venue partnerships (e.g., Gore Place, Park-9 Dog Bar, True North Ale Company) used to capture demand at the venue-selection stage. Leadership is concentrated among founders Chris LaBella (Founder & Chief BBQ Officer) and John Hambrecht (Founder and Chief Operating Guru), supported by Chris Newberry (Director of Operations and Pitmaster) and operational managers for catering and the food trailer.

Name

Big Pig Barbecue & Catering

Legal name

Big Pig Barbecue & Catering

Website

https://bigpigbarbecue.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Big Pig Barbecue & Catering is a privately held, founder-owned BBQ catering company in Peabody, MA that provides on-site, drop-and-serve, and pickup catering packages to corporate events, weddings, and personal celebrations across the Boston metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

BBQ Catering Services

NAICS

Mobile Food Services (72233)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)

Keywords

• BBQ catering
• Smoked meats
• On-site grilling
• Corporate catering
• Wedding catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Peabody

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. On-Site Catering Services: Full-service on-site BBQ catering where the company brings grills, equipment, and staff to cook and serve fresh food at events. Revenue is event-based with custom per-person pricing that includes food, equipment, staff, and sometimes tent/table rentals.
2. Delivery and Drop-off Catering: Full service drop and serve or delivery-only catering orders where pre-cooked BBQ food is delivered and set up at events. Customers order through ToastTab platform.
3. BBQ By The Tray: A la carte food orders available for pickup or delivery, allowing customers to order specific menu items by tray without full catering service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Big Pig Barbecue & Catering is a Boston-area BBQ catering company that provides full-service on-site cooking, delivery/drop-off catering, and a la carte BBQ by-the-tray orders. The company sends grill masters and equipment to event locations to cook authentic low-and-slow smoked meats fresh on-site, serving events ranging from small backyard gatherings to corporate functions and weddings for up to 5,000 guests.

Product overview

Big Pig Barbecue & Catering is a Boston-area BBQ catering company offering a unified catering service centered around on-site cooking experiences. The core offering consists of six catering packages (Backyard BBQ, Uptown BBQ, Southern Smoke, Big Pig Roast, Build Your Own BBQ, and Build Your Own Pig Roast) that bring grill masters and equipment to events to cook fresh on-site. These packages feature signature smoked meats including brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, steak tips, and sausage, complemented by sides like mac & cheese, cornbread, baked beans, and coleslaw. The company also offers BBQ By The Tray for delivery/pickup orders without on-site service, plus add-on services for corporate events, weddings, and equipment rentals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• On-Site BBQ Catering
• BBQ By The Tray
• Delivery and Drop-Off Catering
• Corporate Catering
• Wedding Catering
• Tent and Equipment Rentals

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Titan TentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred tent rental partner recommended to customers for outdoor events. Company refers customers to Titan Tent for event equipment needs, creating a seamless one-vendor coordination experience.
• Premier ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive staffing and bartending partner providing servers, bartenders, and on-site management for events. Company works exclusively with Premier Services to ensure flawless event execution.
• Park-9 Dog BarminorOthersEvent venue partner for hosting BBQ events at their dog-friendly venue space.
• Gore PlaceminorOthersHistoric venue partner used for wedding and event hosting with on-site BBQ catering services.
• True North Ale CompanyminorOthersBrewery venue partner for events, particularly baby showers and private celebrations.
• Peirce Farm at Witch HillminorOthersFarm venue partner for outdoor events and weddings requiring catering services.
• The Meadow at Red Ridge FarmminorOthersFarm venue partner for outdoor event hosting with BBQ catering.
• Garage B EventsminorOthersEvent venue partner for private events and celebrations requiring catering.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sweet Cheeks BBQ: Boston-area BBQ restaurant with an active catering arm serving corporate and private events. Direct competitor in the New England BBQ catering market with overlapping menu offerings (brisket, pulled pork, ribs) and the same event-driven business model.
• The Smoke Shop BBQ: Boston BBQ restaurant and catering operation specializing in smoked meats. Competes head-to-head with Big Pig in the Boston metro catering market, serving similar corporate, wedding, and personal-event segments.
• The Catered Affair: High-end Boston-based event catering company specializing in weddings, corporate events, and large-scale gatherings. Direct competitor in the regional premium catering market with a similar event-driven, full-service model.

Broad incumbents

• Famous Dave's: National BBQ restaurant chain with established catering operations for corporate events and private parties. Represents scale competition with broader geographic reach and brand recognition that Big Pig lacks.
• Mission BBQ: Multi-state BBQ chain with catering services for corporate and community events. Larger competitor with national brand presence and standardized catering offerings targeting similar customer occasions.
• Sonny's BBQ: Established southeastern BBQ chain with catering for corporate events and large gatherings. Scaled BBQ catering competitor with multi-decade operating history and a broad smoked-meat menu overlapping Big Pig's core offerings.
• Dickey's Barbecue Pit: National BBQ franchise with extensive catering operations including family packs and large-event catering. Larger competitor with franchise-driven unit economics and broader geographic penetration.
• Smokey Bones: National BBQ and American cuisine restaurant chain offering catering services. Operates at broader scale than Big Pig with a more diversified menu, but competes in the casual BBQ catering space.
• Texas Roadhouse: National steakhouse chain with BBQ-adjacent menu items and event catering infrastructure. Operates at much larger scale than Big Pig with a broad geographic footprint and established catering capabilities for corporate events.

Regional players

• Bone-In Barbecue: NYC-based BBQ catering company focused on smoked meats for events and weddings. Operates in a different geography but follows a similar on-site BBQ catering model with comparable menu offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BigPigBarbecue
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigpigbarbecue/?ref=ts
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigpigbbq/#

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Big Pig Barbecue & Catering