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If you still need a quality smoker ahead of the holidays, check out Pitts & Spitts. I had the opportunity to tour their shop earlier this month and they’re using quality American materials and production to build their products. I also got to see their Hybrid offset / pellet smoker in-person. Check out the article for more info and pictures.
On the retail side of things, Ace announced they plan on opening 40 more stores yet this year. If you look at their financials, new stores is where most of their growth is coming from.
Home Depot is seeing price sensitivity on their classic grills, but they’re seeing strong sales with more innovative grills, like ones from Traeger. While grills were down for them, their patio business saw it’s strongest quarter.
Clorox reported that they’re getting Kingsford into more stores, which seems crazy because it seems like they’re already everywhere. They have said in recent years that they have an 80% market share. This hasn’t insulated them from the grilling slowdown though, as we estimate their sales were down $20 million in their quarter that just ended.
Solo Stove is constantly releasing new products. Their latest is a pizza oven accessory that sits on their fire pits. While it’s less practical than a free standing pizza oven, it’s another way for customers to interact with their Solo Stove.
Finally, Middleby released their outdoor cooking strategy for their three brands. It’s centered around innovation and connected grilling. They also contend that charcoal is the fuel of the future. They’re consolidating operations now with a target margin of an additional 10%.