We recently connected with Bill E Stitt and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Bill E, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Small Batch Big Flavor Like other artisanal foods made in smaller quantities, the flavor of Bill E’s Small Batch Bacon is something special. It makes regular mass-produced bacon taste like, well, regular mass-produced bacon. From the small family farms where the pigs are raised, to the premium ingredients used in curing, Bill E doesn’t cut corners. In fact, his bacon is so delicious and beloved, local songwriters serenade every batch where it’s smoked in Fairhope, Alabama.

The Passion
Discover how William “Bill E” Stitt cured his obsession with bacon.
Everybody loves bacon. Even vegetarians will admit that. But nobody loves it like Bill E, and making his own brand of bacon to share with others was a dream of his since before he can remember. So one day he decided to do something about it. It didn’t happen overnight though. Finding the right breed of pig took awhile, and he tinkered with his recipe for over three years, trying out different curing methods and timing the smoking process to perfection. It wasn’t easy, but when you’re as passionate about bacon as Bill E, you take the time to get things right.

The Process
Only the finest ingredients go into this bacon.
Bill E wouldn’t slice it any other way.
There are all sorts of reasons Bill E’s tastes better than your average bacon, starting with how the pigs are raised on the 25 Midwestern family farms where the pork comes from. Berkshire Red and Chantilly White pigs are specially bred for maximum meatiness and flavor, then Bill E hand-cures the meat for eight days in pink curing salt and heavy duty brown sugar made with real molasses. The pork bellies are turned every other day to enrich the process before being cold-smoked in hickory, producing exceptionally tender meat that’s sweet and savory.

Serenaded by Songwriters and Savored by Carnivores
“I only use dark brown sugar from the finest molasses to make my bacon. You’re welcome.”
“You may never buy mass-produced bacon again. Which is kind of the point.”

Bill E, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

BILL-E’s SMALL BATCH BACON I opened my restaurant (some call it a dive, but whatever) back in 2011 for two reasons. I wanted the good people of Fairhope, Alabama to have a no-frills place where they could kick back and enjoy an afternoon or evening of live music, lively conversation, and killer grub. Also, I needed a place to smoke and serenade my delicious bacon. Located on Highway 181—formerly Highway 27, hence my original name, Old 27 Grill—Bill-E’s is where locals and vacationers alike come to throw their cares and their diets to the wind. I welcome you to do the same.
– Bill E Stitt UNPRETENTIOUS GRUB, COLD LIBATIONS & HOUSE MADE BACON
For any bacon questions or comments, give Bill E a call at 251-209-2129 or email [email protected]
Bill E’s Small Batch Bacon Selling Points
1. How and when did you decide to make bacon? 1988 as a college student at Ole Miss.
What was your inspiration? Preparing a speech about branding and I chose to share my ideas about Bill E’s products.
2. How and when did the company begin? Formed this company in 2011 when I also started the restaurant. Set it all up in the beginning with a goal of each brand complimenting the other.
3. How would you describe your bacon? Traditional and simple. Made like our ancestors cured meats. It is a Center of the plate premium protein that is so much more than a topping or an add on.
4. Is all your product produced in the South? Yes, all produced in the South. raised in the South? No, not raised in the South. My pork comes from small family farms in Southern Iowa and Southern Illinois. You know. Where the best pork should come from. I live near the beach and I am not a hog farmer nor am I trying to be. I do hope to inspire local farmers to raise the choice hogs that I need.
5. What, in your opinion, is special about Bill E’s bacon? The passion put into every quarter belly we cure and smoke. Oh, and the fact that every pound of my bacon is Serenaded by local singers and songwriters just behind our little stage.
6. Where can your bacon be purchased? Anywhere besides online?
Can be found in outstanding markets and Specialty shops across the South East and starting to pop up all over the country.
7. In your opinion, who is it perfect for? It is perfect for the Chef or restaurant owner who strives to create dishes that have hand crafted or small Batch quality ingredients. It is also for the Foodie who desires an incredible flavorful, delicious and Grillable protein that stands next to a high-end beef tenderloin and doesn’t whimper like an average side
8. What does the future hold for Bill E’s Bacon?
The future is wonderful, and I am taking my time to ensure I never lose the quality, flavor and presentation that so many Chefs and Foodies are enjoying today. Are there other products in the works? Of course. My goal is to produce more products using the same hogs and processes. Basically, the whole hog BILL-E’s style.
9. How does the region inspire your work (if at all)? Beautiful Beach Bacon reminds me of Mobile Bay sunsets from the Fairhope Bluffs while listening to Jimmy Buffet or great Mississippi Delta Blues.
10. Does the company have any philanthropic connections? Not currently. I would like to find a way to help promote Songwriters that are trying to promote themselves and their craft. I love it when people request my bacon and especially when they ask, “Who Serenaded this Batch?”
Interview with Miye Bromberg, editor at America’s Test Kitchen, publisher of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines. Taste test of different artisanal, dry-cured bacons for the April/May 2019 issue of Cook’s Country.
http://www.extracrispy.com/food/2877/the-best-bacon-in-america
Fact-Checking:
Full, correct name of product as it should appear in print: BILL E’s SMALL BATCH BACON
Are there any plans to change, rename, or discontinue this product within the next three years? No plans to change a thing other than make more.
Is your product nationally available? (that is, can it be shipped to all fifty states?) Yes, it is, and we also can export
About the Hogs
What kind of hogs do you use? (Breed, age, diet?) Berkshire Reds and Chantilly Whites which are 5 to 6 months old at the time of harvest and will average approx. 280 pounds in weight. Warmer weather the weights may drop a little, just because the animals don’t like to eat when it’s hot
Where are the hogs raised? Small mid-western farms
About the Curing and Smoking Processes
Is your product dry-cured? Yes
What ingredients do you use in your cure? Salt, Brown Sugar with Real Molasses, & .06% Pink Curing Salt
How long is the product cured? Eight Days
What type of wood do you use to smoke the bacon? Hickory
What form does that wood take? (sawdust, chips, chunks, etc.) Chips & Chunks
How long is the bacon smoked? We must keep a few things a secret
About Storing and Eating
Is your product shelf-stable? (e.g., does not need to be refrigerated) If so, for how long? No, it is not shelf stable and needs to be refrigerated. Shelf life fresh is 30 days and frozen 365 days. Bill E recommends keeping a couple of cases in the freezer and displaying a few packs next to the beef tenderloins or filets along with placing a poster near the meat department.
Can your product be eaten plain or in a BLT, or is it mostly meant to be used as a flavor enhancer (to collards, beans, etc.)? Bill E’s bacon is wonderful all by itself and it makes an incredible BLT. It may be used as a flavor enhancer, but it is mainly treated as a Center of the Plate Premium Protein
Miscellaneous
What makes your product unique? The fact that every batch is hand made in a small USDA facility located directly behind the Bill-E’s restaurant stage in Fairhope, AL which ensures every batch is SERENADED DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
For any bacon questions or comments, give Bill E a call at 251-209-2129 or email [email protected]

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The quality and care we take in selecting our ingredients and the passion our team has to ensure every package of bacon is the best it can be.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Referrals from existing clients and markets.

The opportunity for growth in clients and new markets is endless and we get excited every time we get a new client and especially a new distributor.    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.billesbacon.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billessmallbatchbacon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BILLESBACON
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamstitt/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/billesbacon
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUaiev1QEnAMoTxyqSf3CyQ