Bone Suckin’ Sauce
Raleigh, North Carolina
Phil Ford, a real estate appraiser and father of four in Raleigh, North Carolina, developed Bone Suckin around 1987 while trying to copy his mother’s recipe for a western North Carolina-style barbecue sauce.
Folks kept telling him that he needed to do something with the sauce – like bottle it and sell it! People loved it when he gave it away, but Phil never thought anyone would pay for his sauce. His sister-in-law, Sandi Ford, owner of Ford’s Fancy Fruits & Gourmet Foods in Raleigh, had years of experience in the gourmet food business and had other thoughts, She encouraged him to no avail. Then finally in September 1992, Sandi and her husband, Lynn, told Phil they’d like to be his partners in bringing his sauce to market. He’d make it and they’d give it a name and sell it. While driving to Charleston, South Carolina a short time later, Sandi was preoccupied with the task of coming up with a name. She thought about how go-o-o-d it was and how it made her do something she’d never done before — suck on the bones to get the last little bit of flavor. A name was born and the sauce was launched in November, 1992. - L. Harrell
Accolades
“Bone Suckin’ Sauce Hot Flavor – Tangy and smoky with a real kick.” Interesting bite: “The company president’s grandmother [Sandi Ford] used to suck the sauce off ribs and chicken bones, hence the name.” -Food & Wine Magazine
“You can see the chunks of onion and peppers in this tangy-sweet, Carolina-style sauce. We love that it’s naturally sweetened with honey and molasses, and packed with flavor from apple cider vinegar, horse-radish, and mustard. With all this and a hint of smoke, Bone Suckin’ Sauce is great for grilling and dipping. Grade A+” - Health Magazine
“BONE SUCKIN’ SAUCE, RALEIGH, N.C. There are a million barbecue sauces, but we fell for the Ford family’s… The sauce rocks. bonesuckin.com” Rating #1 -Newsweek Magazine
“Bone Suckin’ Sauce sweetened with honey and molasses you’d expect for sauce makers in Raleigh, N.C., Ford’s Foods includes horseradish, mustard and a secret spice blend.” - Country Living Magazine
