FROM LEFT, Albert Malekovic, Alan Stine, Marcia Stine and Caleb Edson pose for a picture after Country Bob, Inc. acquired Hogs ‘N Heat sauces and rubs out of Breese. A local barbecue operation has sold its recipes and brand to Country Bob, Inc., out of Centralia.
Country Bob has acquired the Hogs 'N Heat Sauces and Seasonings operation out of Breese. The sale was official on Aug. 15.
Hogs 'N Heat Inc. was owned by Alan Stine and his wife Marcia.
Hogs 'N Heat was incorporated in 2005. It was started by Alan Stine and John Stevenson, who were the Hogs 'N Heat BBQ team in 2003.
"When John and I were in barbecue competitions, we used all of our own products instead of any commercial products," Stine said.
After a year or two of doing well at competitions, Stine and Stevenson thought their barbecue rubs and sauces might be a great product to put on the store shelves.
They started by putting their barbecue rubs in local grocery stores and meat markets. The rubs sold better than what they expected, so they decided to put the barbecue sauces in the stores as well. Both the rubs and sauces sold well in the stores.
Pictured are Hogs 'N Heat sauces and rubs. The first product marketed commercially was Hogs 'N Heat Mild and Savory BBQ Rub in 2006. Hogs 'N Heat Sweet and Savory BBQ sauce was marketed in 2007. Hogs 'N Heat Hot Wing sauce was marketed in 2010. Hogs 'N Heat applied for, and was granted, a U.S. trademark for the name Hogs 'N Heat in 2010.
Hogs 'N Heat entered a National Barbecue and Grilling Association national competition. There were more than 100 sauces and rubs in the competition and the Hogs 'N Heat rub was the overall grand champion and the sauce took second place.
"The business just continued to grow from there," Stine said.
As the business continued to grow, Stevenson decided that his true passion was competing in barbecue competitions and not the sales of sauces and rubs. So in 2012, Marcia bought Stevenson's share of Hogs 'N Heat.
Hogs 'N Heat had nine products in five different states at the time they sold to Country Bob.
Country Bob bought the recipes and the brand from Hogs 'N Heat.
“Our team couldn’t be more excited to bring Hogs ‘N Heat into our lineup,” says Caleb Edson, co-owner of Country Bob’s. “Their passion for bold flavor and quality ingredients makes them a perfect fit, and we can’t wait to share what’s next.”
They already had a good business relationship with County Bob before the sale, and they had been manufacturing their barbecue sauces and meat marinades prior to the sale.
"Country Bob is going to be a good partner for us," Stine said. "They have numerous distribution centers throughout the country."
With the sale of Hogs 'N Heat, Alan and Marcia are ready to enjoy retirement. Marcia retired from her full-time position in 2012 and Alan retired from his full-time position in 2016.
"We just had a great time with the Hogs 'N Heat business," Alan said. "But as the business continued to grow, it just became more time consuming than what we wanted it to be. We are both ready to just enjoy retirement."
