Franklin Barbecue
Franklin Barbecue is a founder-owned Austin, Texas barbecue restaurant and consumer food brand founded by Aaron Franklin in 2009, operating dine-in service, nationwide shipping, private events, and a CPG line of sauces and rubs sold through major U.S. retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Franklin Barbecue does
Franklin Barbecue is a privately held, founder-owned Austin, Texas barbecue business founded in 2009 by Aaron and Stacy Franklin. The core operation is a single dine-in restaurant at 900 E 11th Street on Austin's East Side, open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch (11am until sold out, typically 2–3pm), serving USDA Prime brisket ($42/lb), heritage Duroc pork ribs and pulled pork, turkey, and jalapeño cheddar sausage smoked over oak using traditional Central Texas methods. A preorder system (minimum 5 lbs, up to six weeks in advance) handles takeout demand, and Goldbelly ships brisket and sausage nationwide. The company has expanded well beyond the original restaurant into a portfolio of branded offerings: four proprietary BBQ sauces and five spice rubs distributed through 30+ major U.S. retailers (HEB, Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, Sam's Club, Albertsons, Amazon, Instacart), Franklin Barbecue Pits (a backyard pit and charcoal line launched 2020), the Franklin Backyard private-event venue (up to 250 guests), and Uptown Sports Club (a sister restaurant and bar with Texas-inspired Louisiana cuisine). Aaron Franklin's personal brand — three New York Times bestselling books, a MasterClass course, the PBS series "BBQ with Franklin," co-founding of the Hot Luck Fest, and accolades including the 2015 James Beard Award and 2020 American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame induction — drives the company's earned-media flywheel. The business has no external institutional funding and operates with a lean headcount, relying on outsourced CPG manufacturing and distribution partners.
Franklin Barbecue firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Franklin Barbecue
- Legal name
- Franklin Barbecue
- Website
- https://franklinbbq.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Franklin Barbecue is a founder-owned Austin, Texas barbecue restaurant and consumer food brand founded by Aaron Franklin in 2009, operating dine-in service, nationwide shipping, private events, and a CPG line of sauces and rubs sold through major U.S. retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Franklin Barbecue industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Barbecue Restaurant
- NAICS
- Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Special Food Services (7223)
- akta.pro primary industry
- BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)
Keywords
Where Franklin Barbecue is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Franklin Barbecue business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dine-In & Takeout: Walk-in dine-in service and preorder takeout (minimum 5 lbs). Brisket priced at $42/lb, pork ribs $32/lb, pulled pork $34/lb, turkey $26/lb, sausage $6/link. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am until sold out.
- National Shipping via Goldbelly: Partnership with Goldbelly to ship brisket and sausage nationwide. Includes barbecue sauce, reheating instructions, and ice.
- Private Events & Catering: Evening restaurant buyout (40-85 guests) at 900 E 11th Street, Franklin Backyard venue (up to 250 guests) at 2027 Anchor Lane, and Uptown Sports Club events (up to 150 guests).
- Consumer Packaged Goods (Sauces, Rubs, Merchandise): BBQ sauces, spice rubs, charcoal, seasoning, butcher paper, and collaborative PK grills sold via shop.franklinbbq.com and nationwide retail distribution.
- Retail Distribution: Sauces and rubs distributed through major U.S. retailers including Albertsons, Amazon, HEB, Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, Sam's Club, and dozens of regional grocery chains.
- Books & Educational Content: Three New York Times bestselling books on barbecue authored by Aaron Franklin: 'Franklin Barbecue, A Meat-Smoking Manifesto', 'Franklin Steak', and 'Franklin Smoke'. MasterClass course teaches Texas-style BBQ techniques.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium meats by the pound: Brisket $42/lb, Pork Spare Ribs $32/lb, Pulled Pork $34/lb, Turkey $26/lb, Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage $6/link or $44/lb, Beef Rib (Fri-Sat-Sun only) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sandwiches: Brisket $21, Pulled Pork $16, Turkey $18, Tipsy Texan $18, Chopped Beef $9. Optional slaw, pickles, onions. |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sides and desserts: Potato Salad, Slaw, Pinto Beans $5 single/$7.40 pint/$14 quart. Pies $8 each (Bourbon Banana, Pecan, Ruby's Dang Pie, Key Lime, Seasonal). |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Beverages: Water $2, Iced Tea $3, Sodas $1.50, Beer $4-6.50 or $18-28 bucket. Wine from $12-15. |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards: Digital $5-250, Physical $25-250 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Franklin Barbecue product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Franklin Barbecue is a Texas-style barbecue restaurant located in Austin, Texas, specializing in Central Texas-style smoked meats prepared over post oak wood. The business sells dine-in barbecue plates, takeout, and a growing line of branded consumer products including sauces, rubs, charcoal, custom smoker pits, and merchandise, with nationwide shipping through Goldbelly.
Product overview
Franklin Barbecue operates as a multi-faceted food business centered on its award-winning Austin restaurant and extending through a portfolio of consumer packaged goods and hospitality venues. The core offering is the Franklin Barbecue Restaurant (dine-in and preorder takeout), supported by four proprietary sauce varieties and five spice rubs sold at major retailers nationwide. The company has expanded into branded equipment (Franklin Barbecue Pits and charcoal), private event venues (Franklin Backyard and restaurant buyouts), a PBS television series, and sister restaurant concepts (Uptown Sports Club). Products are available through direct channels (preorder, gift cards, Goldbelly shipping) and retail partnerships with major grocers including HEB, Kroger, Walmart, and Whole Foods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Franklin Barbecue Pits: Backyard BBQ pit line launched in 2020, including charcoal, seasoning, butcher paper, and collaborative PK grill offerings.
- Franklin Backyard
- Hot Luck Fest
Products and services
- Franklin Barbecue Charcoal
- Franklin Barbecue Pits
- Franklin Barbecue Merchandise
- Franklin Barbecue Nationwide Shipping via Goldbelly
- Franklin Barbecue Sauce
- Franklin Barbecue Rub
- Franklin Barbecue Restaurant Service
- Franklin Barbecue Private Events and Catering
Quantifiable outcome
- Recognized as 'best barbecue in the known universe' by Texas Monthly
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Franklin Barbecue
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Franklin Barbecue technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
Franklin Barbecue partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GoldbellycoreGoldbelly partnership enables nationwide shipping of Franklin Barbecue brisket and sausage directly to consumers. Includes BBQ sauce, reheating instructions, and ice. Also handles brisket gift cards for nationwide redemption.
- KLRU-TV / Austin PBScoreKLRU-TV produced 'BBQ with Franklin' 11-episode web series showcasing Aaron Franklin's barbecue techniques. Aired on Austin PBS and available on PBS.org.
- Hot Luck FestminorAnnual Austin food and music festival co-founded by Aaron Franklin, James Moody (Guerilla Suit/Mohawk), and Mike Thelin (Feast Portland co-founder). Blends world-class culinary talent with live music for authentic Austin festival experience.
- AmazoncoreAmazon serves as retail distribution channel for Franklin Barbecue sauces and rubs, enabling nationwide direct-to-consumer sales through Amazon store.
- Major U.S. Grocery Retailerscore30+ major retailers distribute Franklin Barbecue sauces and rubs including Albertsons, HEB, Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, Sam's Club, Central Market, and regional chains across the U.S.
- MasterClasscoreAaron Franklin teaches Texas-style BBQ through MasterClass platform, including famous brisket and smoked meat techniques. Educational partnership extending brand reach globally.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Franklin Barbecue competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Snow's BBQ: Legendary Texas BBQ joint in Lexington, TX, frequently cited alongside Franklin Barbecue as one of the best BBQ restaurants in the country. Operates a similar single-location, weekend-only model with a focused smoked meats menu and cult following.
- Kreuz Market: Iconic Central Texas BBQ institution in Lockhart, TX, with a similar no-sauce, post-oak smoked meats tradition. Directly comparable to Franklin Barbecue in history, technique, and cult destination status.
- Joe's Kansas City BBQ: World-famous Kansas City BBQ joint operating from a gas station, with national brand recognition, lines, and a strong CPG sauce business. Closely comparable to Franklin Barbecue in cult following, multi-revenue strategy, and regional BBQ authority.
- Rudy's BBQ: Texas BBQ chain with multiple locations and a nationwide CPG sauce business. Comparable to Franklin Barbecue in its Texas BBQ positioning and retail CPG extensions, though Rudy's is more multi-unit and less chef-driven.
- Pecan Lodge: Award-winning Dallas BBQ destination famous for brisket and long lines, modeled after traditional Texas BBQ joints. Comparable to Franklin Barbecue in single-location, premium, destination BBQ positioning.
- Truth BBQ: Houston-based BBQ restaurant by pitmaster Leonard Botello, frequently listed among the best BBQ in Texas. Comparable to Franklin Barbecue in its acclaimed single-location, chef-driven Texas BBQ model.
- Stubb's: BBQ sauce and rub brand founded by Texas pitmaster C.B. Stubblefield, now owned by McCormick. Directly comparable to Franklin Barbecue's CPG sauce/rub strategy, with stronger distribution but less chef-driven authority.
- Kinder's: Premium BBQ sauces, rubs, and meat products founded by a former Buffalo Wild Wings CMO, scaled aggressively through retail and QSR partnerships. Comparable to Franklin Barbecue as a premium BBQ CPG brand with national distribution ambitions.
Broad incumbents
- Traeger Grills: Market-leading wood-pellet grill and smoker brand with national retail distribution and a broad BBQ lifestyle positioning. Comparable to the Franklin Barbecue Pits and charcoal business as a broader, scaled entrant in the BBQ equipment space.
Others
- Goldbelly: National e-commerce marketplace that ships iconic regional food brands (including Franklin Barbecue) directly to consumers. Adjacent to Franklin Barbecue as a key nationwide shipping channel partner rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Franklin Barbecue social profiles
Digital presenceFranklin Barbecue financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Franklin Barbecue leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Franklin Barbecue subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Franklin Barbecue funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Franklin Barbecue 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 Franklin Barbecue
What does Franklin Barbecue do?
Franklin Barbecue is a Texas-style barbecue restaurant located in Austin, Texas, specializing in Central Texas-style smoked meats prepared over post oak wood. The business sells dine-in barbecue plates, takeout, and a growing line of branded consumer products including sauces, rubs, charcoal, custom smoker pits, and merchandise, with nationwide shipping through Goldbelly.
Is Franklin Barbecue a public or private company?
Franklin Barbecue is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Franklin Barbecue founded?
Franklin Barbecue was founded in 2009.
Where is Franklin Barbecue based?
Franklin Barbecue is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Franklin Barbecue make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dine-In & Takeout is the primary driver. The others are national Shipping via Goldbelly, private Events & Catering, consumer Packaged Goods (Sauces, Rubs, Merchandise), retail Distribution and books & Educational Content.
Who are Franklin Barbecue's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Snow's BBQ, Kreuz Market, Joe's Kansas City BBQ, Rudy's BBQ, Pecan Lodge, Truth BBQ, Stubb's and Kinder's. Traeger Grills is listed as a broad incumbent. Goldbelly is listed as an others.
Does Franklin Barbecue have an API?
No public API is recorded for Franklin Barbecue.
What industry is Franklin Barbecue in?
Franklin Barbecue's product category is Specialty Barbecue Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAH, BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual. Its NAICS code is 72251.