From a sweet storm to The Financial Times
House of BBQ Experts’ Co-President, Max Lavoie, reflects on the last year
Where did last year go?
Life goes by fast and one once told me that sometimes, it’s good to stop and smell the roses… I prefer the smell of my BBQ smoking but taking a moment, in any way you do it, brings perspective and helps keep humble and grateful.
In spring 2019, coming back from the HPBExpo, an international BBQ expo where the Team won first prize in the BBQ accessory category, I already was on cloud 9. Pumped up and ready to service our customers, came another nomination. We were being recognised in the Canadian Business review of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies… It was quite an achievement to be ranked #155 on 500 but furthermore, in the Top 10 of our category : Retail.
We all patted ourselves in the back for the tireless efforts the Team showed but above all, the desire to collectively always surpass ourselves. What would the next season have in store for us and how could we share our passion of the grill furthermore? We attacked the summer head down, sharing our expertise and ensuring everyone we came across always had the best experience, like we always render. Be it for providing advice on the right type of bbq to suit someone’s lifestyle to the ideal injection mix for a slow cooked feast; we just enjoyed every minute of it.
I am a lucky guy for my Team are all passionate about the grill, flames and good food. There’s never a shortage of discussion and sharing! As we promote bbq’ing year-round the fall came with a continuum of exciting events we put together for our clients and then followed our company-wide holiday celebration. It is important to recognize that the company’s success is a result of everyone’s hard work. We got together, shared, thanked our staff and celebrated those who stood out over the previous seasons for their positive impact on our client base and their contribution to the company. Everyone enjoyed their recognition and continued working hard. The year 2019 was filled with the launch of over a dozen new proprietary products, many opportunities and great achievements. We were busy and we liked it. It was as fierce as a storm, and what a sweet one it was.
Then came 2020. Spring 2020 brought to the population and commerces around the world its own set of surprises. On our end, rapidly shifting gears with the overnight spike in our e-commerce and online chat service given retail boutiques’ closure had us almost forget past achievements. It’s as busy as always that we welcomed in April 2020 yet another special mention. This time, published in the New York Times! It could not compensate for some of the hardship experienced within our walls, by some of our staff, family members and friends entrepreneurs. It however sure made us once again believe that in hard work success is found and that we are lucky to be healthy, do a job we love and interact each day with our grill enthusiast clientele the way we do. We can continue ‘Changing the world, one BBQ at a time’.
With that said I would add: “House of BBQ Experts, the English leg to BBQ Québec is standing straight and proud. Yesterday we were just crawling but watch us start running now!”
Below for more information on The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2020
BBQ Québec has been recognized as one of The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2020. Ranked in the 304th place, amongst the top 45 Canadian companies featured and sole representative of the nation in only seven Retail companies listed definitely is something to be proud of! Rigorously evaluated by this giant Financial reliable source, in collaboration with Statista, a research company, the compounded 3-year financial review, welcoming BBQ Québec and House of BBQ Experts to this special nomination surely is a demonstration of dedication, hard work and team effort!
Read the complete Financial Times article here.
***
About House of BBQ Experts
With an innovative mindset, House of BBQ Experts offers only the best products, which have been rigorously tested. Over the years, the company has developed its own line of items to elevate the BBQ experience in Canada and the world. Be it with its in-house sauces and spices development activities, to reinvent food seasoning, to revolutionary grilling accessories, the mission remains. With the right technology in place to better service customers and offer them the service they deserve, along with the right accompanying journey management tools, House of BBQ Experts is a one-stop shop and the last to everyone, for all things BBQ.
This recognition is a testament of the customers’ loyalty, built on trust, relevance and value.
BBQ Québec is the French brand operating in the province of Québec, where their products can be found in over 1000 retail locations, their six boutiques including a franchise and a booming e-commerce business. The sister brand, House of BBQ Expert, is their English brand, selling in English Canada, the US and abroad.
