Ford's Gourmet Foods

North Carolina BBQ Sauce Sold Worldwide

Nothing screams American like BBQ sauce from the Southern United States. Ford’s Gourmet Foods, the prime distributor of Bone Suckin’ Sauce products, has been able to leverage that imagery in more than 70 countries worldwide with the help of the Southern U.S. Trade Association.

Ford’s Gourmet Foods origins are rooted in a fourth generation produce company started in 1946 in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1994 they began exploring foreign markets, and in 2003, they joined SUSTA. Since 2003, because of growth in export sales, their operation has grown by 30%.

Managing Director Patrick Ford said, “It is so valuable to be face to face with foreign customers to gain trust in these business relationships. As the numbers get larger so does the need for face time. SUSTA allows us to grow at a pace that allows us to hire and keep people employed. This goes all the way through to our label manufacturer, ingredients providers, glass bottle salespeople and even the trucking companies we use to move our products.”