Today we’d like to introduce you to Raymond Chenault.
Hi Raymond, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been making my bbq sauce for 58 years and it is the perfect blend of sweetness and heat. I learned to cook at an early age. By age 12, I was making family dinners and one day my dad asked me to try some bbq sauce recipes he had been given to see which one was best. Well, I didn’t like any of them, but I learned what ingredients can be used to make bbq sauce. I came up with Raymond’s Original BBQ Sauce in 1963. Over the years, I made my sauce for family, friends and workplace barbecues while I was in law enforcement.
After my law enforcement career, I became an attorney and defended airlines, national banks and corporate clients as a litigator. I recently retired from law practice and my lovely wife, Debra, suggested that I make and sell my bbq sauce. Friends and family had urged me to do so for years and retirement afforded me the time and opportunity. We formed Raymond’s BBQ, LLC and became a cottage food producer under Texas Cottage Food law. We are a fully licensed and insured small business selling our homemade bbq sauce.
Fast-forward to today and Debra and I have been selling bbq sauce at Tomball Farmers Market for the past year. My sauce has been a hit and we now have an enthusiastic and loyal following of return customers at Tomball and other local farmers markets in Montgomery and Harris counties. Customers have purchased my bbq sauce and taken it to other states, including Louisiana, California, Nevada and even France — always to rave reviews.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Actually, it’s been a very smooth road, all things considered. Although we entered a farmers market with an established barbecue sauce vendor, we quickly became a hit and enjoy very good sales — a number of which came from former patrons of the other vendor.
There’s been increased pressure to sell online and in stores, but we enjoy the market atmosphere and the quality control we have with a smaller business plan.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a former Oakland, California police officer, sergeant and investigator, I learned a great deal about dealing with the public. And a second career as an Alameda County, California prosecutor and as a national law firm corporate defense attorney enhanced my understanding of customer service and integrity.
My home-based business is successful because of the value I place in using the best quality ingredients regardless of cost and treating customers like family and friends. For instance, our sugar-free bbq sauce, one of 5 varieties of bbq sauce we offer, uses a relatively expensive plant-based sugar substitute that is far superior to the more common sugar substitutes because it is natural and it has no after taste. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that my bbq sauce tastes so good and works so well with meats and as a dipping sauce for other food items.
What’s next?
We plan to remain a small, home-based business for the near future but ultimately hope to garner the attention and interest of one of Texas’ large grocery stores.
Pricing:
- $12.00 per pint jar – Original
- $12.00 per pint jar – Sugar Free
- $12.00 per pint jar – Spicy
- $12.00 per pint jar – Sweet
- $12.00 per pint jar – Mild
Contact Info:
- Email: Raymondsbbqsauce@gmail.com
- Instagram: @RaymondsBBQSauce
- Facebook: @RaymondsBBQSauce
