Bubba Q BBQ was founded by an NFL player called Al Bubba, who played for several teams for 12 years, making his career as a defensive lineman quite a remarkable one.
Al Bubba won the best defensive rookie of the year award, which is no ordinary feat to accomplish.
After retiring from the NFL, he tried to pursue his passion for food by opening a restaurant called Bubba’s Q, which was pretty popular due to his excellent food items.
Bubba’s Q makes BBQ food that is slowly smoked to perfection with apple wood until the meat is so tender and juicy that it’s ready to fall off the bone.
Their baby back ribs are especially popular and produce a lot of sales, and the meat is de-boned by hand, making their restaurant unique in handling meat.
Most people are of the opinion that the food is extremely delicious, and they cannot wait to come back for more.
Bubba has a strong presence when he enters the room at Shark Tank, and the sharks can immediately tell that this guy is serious about what he’s offering.
Once he makes it known that he’s seeking a 300,000 USD investment for 15% equity, he begins his presentation with his daughter, and they stand next to a microwave.
Al Bubba is a very good salesman, and it becomes crystal clear that his pitch is well thought out, and he’s serious about receiving an investment that could take his restaurant business to the next level.
He prepares his ribs in the microwave to serve the sharks, which heat up in 2 minutes while the sharks are busy questioning Al Bubba about his career as an NFL player.
After trying the ribs, the sharks are mind blown by the combination of flavors.
The dish’s simplicity appeals to some sharks, and the packaging provides the full nutritional content for people curious about the macronutrients and caloric information.
The sharks question Bubba about his ribs, and he’s quick to dispel any concerns they might have about the flavor from the bones.
Since the meat is packaged properly and only takes two minutes to cook, the sharks can’t help but be tempted to invest immediately.
Bubba clarifies that his food items are patented, and the cooking process is unique to his business.
He made more than 154,000 USD in sales in one year but had initially quit his business because he wasn’t sure about what he wanted to do until his daughter convinced him.
Kevin makes an offer of 300,000 USD for a 49% stake in the company but on the condition that Bubba would license his patent to a meat distributor.
Daymond makes a better offer for 30% equity, which Bubba quickly accepts.
Our Review of Bubba’s Q BBQ
Bubba’s Q BBQ has an excellent website that portrays the business as being very successful and is constantly updated as soon as new items become available on the menu.
Customer ratings are also very high at 5 stars, which speaks about the quality of the food dishes that are a delightful indulgence for meat lovers everywhere.
By the time Bubba appeared on Shark Tank, he was only making 150,000 USD in sales, which quickly skyrocketed to 16 million USD by 2017.
This is a huge feat to accomplish for anyone, and Bubba’s BBQ food is so delicious that everyone seems to want a taste.
Daymond was very lucky to have struck a deal with this guy whose business turned out to be very profitable and one of the most successful ventures that appeared on Shark Tank.
Al set up his website to sell his food items through online delivery, which played a big part in dramatically improving his sales.
A surprising aspect of Bubba’s deal at Shark Tank was the fact that Daymond had vowed never to invest in a food business, which means that Bubba’s confidence and complete belief in his mission swayed even the most critical shark of all time.
However, Bubba could not go through with running a restaurant any longer and closed his doors for the last time very recently.
His ribs have continued to make many sales due to them being available in all supermarkets across the country.
Bubba’s business idea was one of the best on Shark Tank and quickly delivered results that shattered many people’s expectations.
Pros of Bubba’s Q BBQ
Due to the raging success of Bubba’s Q BBQ, many people are now aware of the food items that are easily prepared to deliver amazing flavors.
The company’s mission was authentic and based on delicious cuisine that many people could not resist as soon as it became available on the market.
Appearing on Shark Tank made it possible for people from across the country to become aware and curious about the food products, which they got quickly on board to try.
Let’s explore some of the pros of the company and its products.
- Bubba’s Q BBQ food is delicious and prepared with enthusiasm by competent chefs who use the patented process to smoke and prepare the meat the right way.
- The food items are packaged effectively and display the nutritional tags, allowing people to know how many calories they are consuming.
- The food is easily prepared by microwaving for 2 minutes or more and cooked using the best ingredients, making it a simple meal choice for just about anyone.
- The meat is high in protein, which caters to many gym enthusiasts looking for an affordable, delicious, and simple meal to prepare at home.
Cons of Bubba’s Q BBQ
Every business has its dark side, which is part and parcel of being in the moneymaking industry.
It’s always a bit tricky to handle food products properly since there are safety protocols to follow.
You don’t want to not take food hygiene seriously because it could destroy your brand’s reputation if people became sick or contracted an illness like food poisoning.
Let’s explore some of the cons of the company and its products.
- Bubba’s Q BBQ offers packaged food, which might not appeal to anyone since it’s not fresh but frozen.
- The food items aren’t affordable to anyone, making them a luxury food item for many who would rather go to the restaurant and spend that much money on fresh and fine dining foods.
- The BBQ food market is somewhat saturated, so Bubba BBQ products may not have survived without the backing and support of Daymond.
Who is Bubba’s Q BBQ For?
Bubba’s Q BBQ food products are catered to meat lovers but aren’t inclusive to everyone, which isn’t much of a problem since niche items can still generate a lot of money.
Vegans and vegetarians cannot consume the BBQ food items, which limits the food option for the rest of the world.
The food items aren’t available in other countries yet, which means the target market is primarily the people of the United States.
Due to the restaurant closing down, the food items are only available as frozen foods in superstores, which isn’t appealing to everyone, especially those who like to only buy fresh foods.
Are There Any Alternatives?
There are numerous food items to choose from, depending on what your preference is.
Many people like the flavor of BBQ items, which is hard to come by when it comes to frozen foods, but you can expect to find many similar meat-based products in the freezer section if that’s what you’re looking for.
All kinds of packaged foods exist in department stores, which means you have a wide selection of items to choose from.
A lot of people are also quite interested in reading the nutritional labels on food items, especially health-conscious people that are looking for a specific ratio of macronutrients.
As far as BBQ foods go, there are still many kinds of meats and even BBQ-flavored vegetables available in many superstores, so you’re likely to find many alternatives to Bubba’s Q BBQ food items.
However, there is a reason why the company did so well in terms of sales and reached a net worth of over 16 million USD, which means that the food is extremely delicious and not too expensive, making it an excellent choice for many looking to sink their teeth into some of the best BBQ cuisines out there.
Our Final Thoughts
Bubba’s Q BBQ was already fairly successful before Al Bubba appeared on Shark Tank, and the most important aspect of the business was already well researched and well prepared, which is the food recipe.
Al Bubba was already fairly popular as a defensive linesman in the NFL, allowing him to get customers who were curious about his brand and food.
After appearing on Shark Tank, he quickly struck a deal with Daymond and managed to sway him with his confidence as an excellent salesman, which played a huge part in his business’ success.
The food items are now available in superstores across the country and are selling fast, resulting in growing sales for the company.
Although it’s a little disappointing that the restaurant closed up, Bubba’s Q BBQ still continues to do very well by selling its food products online and in superstores.