Meat Mitch, a Kansas City-based BBQ company, offers premium, award-winning BBQ sauces, rubs, and pre-smoked meats. The team has used these very products to win numerous awards and competitions on the BBQ circuit.

Based in Mission Hills, Kansas, Meat Mitch began exporting in 2016. After connecting with a Food Export Liaison at a 2018 trade show, the company started participating in Food Export programs to expand its international brand presence. Several highlights from their global success are shared below.

In their first year of participation, the Kansas-based sauce and spice company joined Food Export’s Market Access Program-funded Branded Program to grow exports to New Zealand. Meat Mitch used its allocated funding to attend the international Meatstock event, where they increased brand visibility while offsetting the costs of exhibiting. As a result of the show, they secured a new buyer relationship, generating $4,000 in export sales to New Zealand, with projected sales of $10,000 and one new distributor. These results marked a strong entry into the market.

In 2022, Meat Mitch used Branded Program funding to promote its products in Canada. They made market-specific label modifications to meet local regulations, increasing their brand presence and securing $10,000 in sales and a new distributor in the market.

In 2023, the company expanded its efforts in Canada and entered the Australian market. Funding was again used to update labels and packaging for both countries. By year-end, Meat Mitch reported $70,000 in sales to Canada, projected an additional $100,000, and gained three new foreign buyer contacts along with one new distributor.

In 2024, Meat Mitch continued leveraging the Branded Program to promote its products in both Canada and Germany. Recognizing strong retail growth opportunities, the company used its funding to make packaging modifications and ship product samples to potential buyers. These efforts led to $111,900 in confirmed export sales and $130,000 in projected sales across both markets.

Looking ahead, Meat Mitch is already participating in the 2025 Branded Program, continuing to promote its products in Canada and Germany, building on the momentum and growth established over the past year.

Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.