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In this episode, Duce sits down with Charlie McKenna of Lillie’s Q to dive into the incredible journey of building a national BBQ brand. Charlie shares how he transitioned from cooking competition sauces to bottling regional varieties like Memphis, Carolina, and Alabama styles, and eventually scaled into 15,000+ stores across 20+ countries. He breaks down the business of consumer packaged goods (CPG), including distributor relationships, slim profit margins, and the grind behind growing a successful product line. They also explore how Charlie’s potato chips—born out of a downtown Chicago food stall—found their way into airlines like United, American, and Delta. Hear why chips are a higher-turn product than sauce, what it takes to succeed in the CPG space, and why having a strong team is key to expanding beyond the restaurant. This conversation wraps with stories about Memphis in May, BBQ competitions, and family life. Whether you’re a barbecue enthusiast, a food entrepreneur, or just love a good business story, this one’s packed with real talk and BBQ wisdom.

00:00 – The Southern Roots of Charlie’s BBQ Journey
3:47 – Charlie’s Unexpected Road to BBQ
8:30 – How BBQ Competitions Bonded Charlie and His Dad
15:25 – How a Recession Sparked Lillie’s Q
20:49 – Roux Restaurant & Origins
24:23 – Keeping the Menu Simple
26:05 – Tri-Tip, Brisket & Barbecue Evolution
32:09 – Secrets of BBQ & Smokers & Holding Units
36:51 – Starting the Sauce & Rub Business
39:02 – Scaling with Distribution & Fancy Food Show
41:01 – Building a Consumer Goods Brand
44:03 – The Work Behind the Success
47:50 – Launching the Kettle Chips Line
51:23 – Memphis in May, Community, and Family

Follow Charlie on Social:
Instagram:   / _cmckenna_  
Facebook:   / lilliesq  
X: https://x.com/LilliesQChicago
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lilliesq?lang=en
YouTube:    / @lilliesq  
Website: https://charliemckenna.co/

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