After more than ten years of serving in the military and working for the federal government, Yancy Seals found himself motivated to start something new. It was Seals’ lifelong passion for BBQ and how ingrained it was in his ways of bringing communities and families together that prompted him to put his beloved secret recipes on store shelves for consumers.

But as a new brand breaking into a saturated market, Seals found himself taking on a learn-as-you-go method, navigating trials and errors to make his brand and products stand out. Fast forward 15 years and Triple D’s BBQ is growing significantly and selling products locally, regionally, and nationally. Seals has been able to work with independent and major retailers, and most recently with CVS, with the help of RangeMe and ECRM.

Read on to learn more about Triple D’s BBQ sauces and baked beans, how communities grow brands, and how RangeMe and ECRM are helping get Triple D’s in front of the right retailers. 

The sauce is the boss, and baked beans are the MVP
BBQs are part of our culture. They bring families together for great company and even better food. Seals contributed to the great food (and company!) at his family BBQs by bringing his homemade BBQ sauces and baked beans. These secret recipes turned into the three product SKUs he would bring to market years later. 

Triple D’s BBQ offers two fan-favorite sauces and classic baked beans. For the sauces, there is Triple D’s Tangy & Sweet BBQ Sauce and Triple D’s Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce. Each BBQ sauce is vegan and gluten-free, made from the freshest ingredients and aromatic spices to achieve their distinct tangy tomato, citrus, and bold mesquite flavors. These sauces are versatile for marinating, topping, and dipping. As for Triple D’s Gourmet Baked Beans, they are naturally low-fat, gluten-free, and vegan, making them a perfect side dish for any meal. 

Grown and loved by the community
Beyond launching products that bring communities together, Seals relies heavily on communities to provide feedback and share insights on what they’d like to see. It’s how he stands out from the crowd. 

“The condiments category is very saturated,” explains Seals. “We’ve put together surveys that ask our customers what they like taste-wise and what they look for in a sauce because consumer interest is vital to us, and we want to make something consumers will love.” 

It worked too; involving his community in building and growing the brand ultimately helped Triple D’s BBQ quadruple sales since launching. 

Overcoming hurdles in the condiment world
“When you’re a new brand entering the market, it’s like you’re a guppy in a giant ocean,” says Seals. “It’s hard to be seen, it’s hard to figure out how you’re going to be seen, and finding your niche of customers is vital to the success of your business.” 

As new brands on the market fight for attention with major players, you have to come up with creative ways to stand out and try new methods of getting in front of customers, including retailers. The need to stand out, along with the world going into a full-blown global pandemic and major tradeshows getting canceled last year, prompted Seals to join RangeMe. 

“RangeMe has catapulted us to understand our business,” says Seals. “Through their workshops, educational webinars, and monthly newsletters featuring tips, tricks, and best practices, I’ve been able to rely on these resources when I have questions, as well as connect with my Customer Success Manager.” 

Beyond RangeMe’s educational resources, Seals has been able to get Triple D’s in front of the right retail buyers during a time where he couldn’t do it in person. 

RangeMe and ECRM’s product discovery opportunities 
Like most emerging brands who had booked, planned, and saved to attend trade shows in 2020, many brands didn’t know what to do and felt lost when the pandemic hit. 

“I was planning to attend Expo West last year, but when it got canceled, I felt like RangeMe was my last hurrah,” explains Seals. “And it turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done.” 

After signing up for RangeMe, uploading his product SKUs, and getting RangeMe Verified™, Seals was ready to take on all the opportunities to get his brand discovered by retail buyers, starting with RangeMe and ECRM’s Efficient Supplier Introductions (click here for the full list of ECRM ESIs).

“The ESIs have been priceless. I’ve been to about six, which is where I connected with CVS,” explains Seals. “Shortly after the virtual meeting, the same CVS buyer messaged me on RangeMe, and now Triple D’s BBQ Sauces are sold in CVS stores located in California, Nevada, and Arizona with plans to expand!” 

At the ESI events, Seals connected with several other retailers, including Dollar General and HEB. While on RangeMe, he has received several sample requests and messages from retail buyers at independent retailers and major retailers and distributors. 

Up next for Triple D’s BBQ
This year, Seals plans to continue improving Triple D’s BBQs brand awareness and work with more retailers. Part of that is increasing social media efforts and the brands’ online presence. The other half is leveraging their RangeMe profile and attending virtual opportunities such as the 2021 Global Market: Food & Beverage. 

Seals shared some great closing thoughts on what to keep in mind when starting out from one entrepreneur to another. “First, you need to understand your businesses laterally and vertically, especially how consumers and retail buyers think, then you can start growing your business. Don’t pass the small first. Take a look at the mom-and-pop shops out there; you’ll be able to learn so much from working with them. Most importantly, be patient and be passionate. It’s going to come.” 

Are you a buyer interested in connecting with Triple D’s BBQ on RangeMe? Visit their brand profile here.