Corky’s BBQ
Corky's BBQ is a Memphis-based restaurant operator and packaged food brand founded in 1984, running 8 dine-in locations across Tennessee and Arkansas alongside nationwide FedEx shipping, QVC retail, catering, and Southeast grocery distribution of slow-smoked Memphis-style barbecue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Corky’s BBQ does
Corky's BBQ is a Memphis-based restaurant operator and packaged food brand founded in 1984 by Don Pelts. The company runs 8 dine-in locations across Tennessee and Arkansas, supplemented by drive-thru, catering, group reservations, and party/banquet room rentals. Its core product is Memphis-style slow-smoked barbecue — ribs, pork, brisket, chicken, sausages, and proprietary sauce (Original, Apple, Honey, Smokin' Hot, Bourbon, Smokey & Sweet) and dry-rub formulations — produced through a USDA-inspected cooking facility operated since 1993.
Beyond restaurants, Corky's runs a multi-channel distribution operation. It pioneered nationwide BBQ shipping via FedEx in 1987, sells regularly through QVC televised retail, distributes packaged product into Southeast grocery, operates a subscription box program, and runs fundraising and merchandise lines. El Terrifico, a Mexican-food sub-brand, operates inside Memphis locations as a category extension. Co-owner Joe Kleine, a former NBA player and Olympic gold medalist, holds an equity stake alongside the founding family.
Revenue is generated through in-restaurant sales, mail-order shipping of heat-and-serve meats and sides, televised retail, wholesale grocery, catering commissions, event venue rentals, and subscription/merchandise. The company is privately held with no disclosed PE/VC backing, no funding rounds, and no M&A history; financial figures are not publicly reported.
Corky’s BBQ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Corky’s BBQ
- Legal name
- Corky's BBQ
- Website
- https://corkysbbq.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Corky's BBQ is a Memphis-based restaurant operator and packaged food brand founded in 1984, running 8 dine-in locations across Tennessee and Arkansas alongside nationwide FedEx shipping, QVC retail, catering, and Southeast grocery distribution of slow-smoked Memphis-style barbecue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Corky’s BBQ industry classification
Industry- Product category
- BBQ Restaurant Services
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Meat Packing Plants (2011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- BBQ Sauce & Marinades Manufacturing (AFAKADAH)
Keywords
Where Corky’s BBQ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Corky’s BBQ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining: Dine-in and drive-thru sales at 8 restaurant locations across Tennessee and Arkansas
- Nationwide Shipping: Direct-to-consumer shipping of BBQ products (ribs, pork, brisket, chicken, sauces, sides, desserts, merchandise) via FedEx with subscription options available
- Catering Services: Self-service party packs and full-service catering for events from 10 to 5000 people, including private party room rentals
- Grocery Retail: Products sold in grocery stores across the Southeast including ribs, pulled pork, and bottled sauces from USDA cooking facility
- QVC Television Shopping: Exclusive BBQ products sold through QVC television shopping channel, setting records in BBQ sales nationwide
- Fundraising Programs: Fundraiser packages for organizations with $10-15 profit per item sold
- Merchandise: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, aprons, grill gloves, sauce pots, and meat shredders sold online
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Service Party Packs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Smoked Meats (Per Pound) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription Plans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rib Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group Reservations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Party Room Rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sauces & Seasoning |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Corky’s BBQ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Corky's BBQ is a Memphis-based restaurant chain founded in 1984 that operates dine-in and drive-thru restaurants, nationwide mail-order BBQ shipping, full-service and self-service catering, grocery store retail distribution, QVC television shopping, and subscription boxes. The company sells slow-smoked Memphis-style meats (ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken), proprietary sauces and dry rubs, Southern sides, desserts, and branded merchandise under its own brand.
Product overview
Corky's BBQ is a Memphis-based BBQ restaurant chain and food products company founded in 1984 by Don Pelts. The company operates a multi-channel business model consisting of: (1) Restaurant dining at 8 locations across Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi; (2) Catering and event services including self-service party packs and full-service catering for groups from 50 to 5000; (3) Nationwide shipping of BBQ products via FedEx including meat packages (ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, sausage), sauces (Original, Apple, Honey, Smokin' Hot), sides (mac and cheese, baked beans, cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole), and desserts (pecan pie, fudge pie, cakes); (4) Subscription box service delivering restaurant-quality BBQ monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly; (5) Retail grocery products distributed across the Southeast; (6) QVC television shopping channel exclusive products; and (7) Fundraising programs for organizations. The product portfolio centers around slow-smoked Memphis-style BBQ with signature sauces and dry rub seasonings, complemented by Southern side dishes and desserts. The company also sells branded merchandise including apparel and BBQ tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- El Terrifico: Authentic Mexican food brand featuring tamales and white cheese dip.
Products and services
- Restaurant Dining
- Catering Services
Companies that use Corky’s BBQ
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Corky’s BBQ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Corky’s BBQ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- DoorDashminorDoorDash partnership for online ordering and delivery from Corky's Little Rock location, providing third-party delivery service to customers who prefer not to pickup directly.
- QVCcoreQVC television shopping partnership for nationwide BBQ product sales. Corky's has been appearing regularly on QVC setting records in BBQ sales nationwide. Products include exclusive packages not available through other channels.
- Southeast Grocery RetailerscorePartnership with grocery stores across the Southeast for retail distribution of Corky's BBQ products including ribs, pulled pork, and sauces from USDA cooking facility.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Corky’s BBQ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rendezvous BBQ: Iconic Memphis-based BBQ restaurant established in 1948 with nationwide mail-order shipping. Most direct Memphis-style BBQ competitor and comparable shipping pioneer.
- Billy Sims BBQ: Former NFL player-founded BBQ chain with dine-in, catering, and packaged products. Closely comparable in athlete-co-founder marketing and franchise-driven BBQ model.
- Dickey's Barbecue Pit: Nation's largest BBQ franchise with dine-in, catering, and packaged retail products. Comparable in scale ambition, franchise footprint, catering emphasis, and CPG distribution.
- Mission BBQ: Fast-growing national BBQ chain with strong brand identity, dine-in, catering, and merchandise. Closely comparable in multi-channel restaurant-plus-merch model and community-driven marketing.
- Sonny's BBQ: Large franchise BBQ chain with dine-in, catering, and packaged products. Highly comparable as a multi-location BBQ concept offering ribs, pulled pork, and catering for groups.
- Joe's Kansas City BBQ: Award-winning BBQ operation with strong national mail-order and limited dine-in footprint. Comparable as a cult regional BBQ brand scaling via nationwide shipping.
- Famous Dave's: National BBQ restaurant chain and packaged sauce/meat CPG brand. Closely comparable multi-channel model (dine-in, catering, grocery, online) and direct menu overlap in ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and sauces.
- Gates Bar-B-Q: Historic Kansas City BBQ institution with dine-in, catering, mail-order, and signature bottled sauce. Comparable regional BBQ heritage brand with national shipping and sauce CPG.
Broad incumbents
- Sweet Baby Ray's: National BBQ sauce and CPG brand with broad grocery distribution and foodservice licensing. Comparable as a branded BBQ sauce line competing on the same grocery shelves as Corky's sauces.
Emerging players
- Kinder's BBQ: Fast-growing premium BBQ sauce, rub, and prepared meats CPG brand with restaurant roots. Comparable emerging CPG-meets-restaurant playbook targeting similar national grocery customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Corky’s BBQ social profiles
Digital presenceCorky’s BBQ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Corky’s BBQ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Corky’s BBQ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Corky’s BBQ M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Corky’s BBQ
What does Corky’s BBQ do?
Corky's BBQ is a Memphis-based restaurant chain founded in 1984 that operates dine-in and drive-thru restaurants, nationwide mail-order BBQ shipping, full-service and self-service catering, grocery store retail distribution, QVC television shopping, and subscription boxes. The company sells slow-smoked Memphis-style meats (ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken), proprietary sauces and dry rubs, Southern sides, desserts, and branded merchandise under its own brand.
Is Corky’s BBQ a public or private company?
Corky’s BBQ is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Corky’s BBQ founded?
Corky’s BBQ was founded in 1984. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Corky’s BBQ based?
Corky’s BBQ is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Corky’s BBQ make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining is the primary driver. The others are nationwide Shipping, catering Services, grocery Retail, QVC Television Shopping, fundraising Programs and merchandise.
Who are Corky’s BBQ's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rendezvous BBQ, Billy Sims BBQ, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Mission BBQ, Sonny's BBQ, Joe's Kansas City BBQ, Famous Dave's and Gates Bar-B-Q. Sweet Baby Ray's is listed as a broad incumbent. Kinder's BBQ is listed as an emerging player.
Does Corky’s BBQ have an API?
No public API is recorded for Corky’s BBQ.
What industry is Corky’s BBQ in?
Corky’s BBQ's product category is BBQ Restaurant Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAH, BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual, with a secondary code of AFAKADAH, BBQ Sauce & Marinades Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 2000.