We recently connected with Ryan Lindemer and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ryan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I was just getting started and simply wanted to know if I had a viable product for store shelves, so I went to a local market/Grocery store. The Country Meat Center in Woodruff, SC was my first wholesale sale. That was super important to me because this wasn’t just a quick 1-day discussion, it was over a few months. From day one, Leslie Cash made me feel like I was family. They were in the process of getting ready to expand their store and had a lot going on, but she always spent the time talk with me any time I stopped in. We would talk through the process they go through when purchasing products and what it is they like to see from their products. She has always supported my growth and I can’t wait to see what we can continue doing together!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My background is one that has been built in the construction industry, but I have always had a passion for food. In college I graduated with a Construction Management degree but within that same building was the Dieticians kitchen. It always smelled so good when going to class that I debated changing my degree over smells alone. Fortunately, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Fortunately, for many reasons but construction allowed me to travel, and allowed me to try new cuisines from all over the USA. This helped inspire me continuously. Unfortunately, I couldn’t begin my journey with The Great Eight sooner. Everything happens for a reason; all I can do is look back and enjoy the past while enjoying the ride that is the present!

The Great Eight began when my wife’s aunt gave us a Masterbuilt Electric smoker as a wedding gift. Everything I made tasted bland and never cooked correctly. So instead, I took cooking classes from local South Carolina chefs and pitmasters to help refine my palate. Those steps were taken over 5-6 years before I finally began really sharing my first product, The Original Sauce. This recipe is made with only 8 ingredients, which results in a flavor-packed sauce. These same 8 ingredients are the base of all my sauce flavors. I began submitting The Original Sauce to the Kansas City American Royale (KCAR) in 2020. The KCAR is the world’s largest sauce competition in the world. The first year, The Original Sauce took 11th place overall and in 2021 this sauce took me all the way to 9th place overall! Very exciting times recently. Along with the sauces, I create a flavorful Dry Rub that is well-rounded with a sweet and savory profile. Based on popular demand, it was with The Original Sauce and Dry Rub, just two main items, that I started the company from 3 years ago.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I love selling my products and telling my story to every person. I am passionate about helping everyone be a GREAT cook, and I feel like my products are the best out there. When selling, I have met people that have a hyper-sensitivity to tastes or flavors, which makes them a hard sale. I love when someone comes up and tells me they have this sensitivity, I always see it as a challenge to not necessarily make the sale but to get their take on my flavor profiles. I love seeing their reaction after their first taste, usually the Original sauce. It is unexpecting to them. It is considered my most “typical BBQ sauce” but it isn’t one dimensional. It hits one taste bud, then “POW” another, and again till all you have left is an enjoyable after taste of sweet and a hint of pepper. Still surprises me to this day. Again, I don’t always get a sale from this person, but I will typically get a welcoming head nod or a big grin. This makes my day and gives me goose bumps just thinking about it!

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

This was a large learning curve. Luckily, I live in South Carolina, and they have a great community with local colleges that have programs to help with just this. Clemson University has a class that I took to better understand the processes that I need to use with every cook. I manufacture every single batch by hand and will continue to do so. My mother is a huge help currently as she is always there when I need her in the kitchen or to help cover an event. My end goal is to not grow too large too quick. I plan to hire locally, whether they just need the work or even the experience to grow in the culinary culture of South Carolina. I want to keep as much of my processing hands on as it is important to know how much attention goes into each and every batch from The Great Eight. High Quality Locally Handcrafted Barbecue Sauces and Seasonings.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thegreateightsauce.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegreateightllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegreateightllc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-lindemer-50343847/