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Food truck helps Washington State barbecue operation expand

A food truck has played an important role in Ron Swanby's expanding barbecue catering business. The operation also includes a permanent barbecue pit and barbecue sauce production.

A food truck has allowed Ron Swanby's barbecue operation to serve more customers. Photo courtesy of Swampy's BBQ Sauce & Eatery

November 21, 2018 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Hairstylist-turned-barbecue-entrepreneur Ron Swanby has always had a dual focus: product quality and operational efficiency.

On the product quality end, he produces his own barbecue sauce, as described in part one of this two-part series.

On the operational side, Swanby has grown his Kennewick, Washington-based barbecue catering business by investing in progressively larger barbecue pits, as well as a food truck and a custom-designed 31-foot trailer.

Team members include (l-r) Cadron Swanby, Cruz Garza, Juan Cuevas, Tory Mayo, and Analisa, Ron and Christina Swanby.

It wasn't long after he had quit his job as a hairstylist in 2016 to focus full time on Swampy's BBQ Sauce & Eatery that Swanby began to recognize the benefits of operating a food truck.

Hauling a barbecue pit to a location, setting up, serving, and then moving the pit back onto the trailer and hauling it away was a time-consuming process.

Swanby realized that a food truck would allow him to serve more locations with less time spent setting up and closing down.

Food truck expansion

In April of 2017, he purchased a 1991 GMC diesel truck with 191,000 miles on it from Oregon Food Trucks in Portland. The former Frito-Lay truck came with a three-basin sink, a hand wash sink, a hot water heater and an exhaust hood.

Swanby installed a refrigerator, two warmers, three propane burners, a flat top grill and a generator. He received his state food truck license in late September.

Swanby did not want to reveal the cost of his vehicle and food preparation equipment, but he expects he will recover his total investment in one more year.

Swanby has managed to secure some regular lunch stops for the truck where he can expect to serve 20–70 customers. By limiting his side dishes, he has been able prepare all of his food on the truck without having to use an outside kitchen.

This month, he will move the truck to a "wine village" with four wineries in Kennewick, Washington. In addition to his food truck, Swanby will have a permanent, freestanding, 24-foot barbecue pit that cooks with radiant heat.

A unique barbecue pit

Before commissioning his new barbecue pit, Swanby traveled to Texas to see several designs. He ended up choosing to build a double-wall pit with ceramic insulation between the walls.Not only will the new pit withstand higher temperatures, but it will also retain heat "really well" and require less firewood, Swanby said.

The top racks of the pit will slide out and the interior will be fitted with hooks that allowing him to smoke entire animals — such as goats, lambs and pigs — at one time. Swanby said the unit will be insured for $60,000.

The new pit will serve all day parts rather than just lunchtime. Swanby initially served pulled pork, but now offers two main dishes, each served with the customer's choice of one side: smoked mac and cheese with bacon; barbecued baked beans; charro beans; or coleslaw. He expects to add more side dishes to the menu in time.

Swanby’s largest barbecue pit is 31 feet long with a cooking chamber five feet in diameter. He is currently building a 24-foot double-walled pit.

Long-term focus: Retail barbecue sauce sales

Swanby's long-term goal is to market his barbecue sauce nationwide. Currently, he produces six to eight 40- to 45-gallon batches of sauce a year, and packages it in 16-ounce glass bottles.

Barbecue sauce production has not required an additional investment as Swanby uses a public kitchen that bills him on a per-use basis.

Swanby considered selling the sauce online, but decided the cost of shipping and handling was too high. Instead, he is working on a plan to sell it at retail at some point.

Long term, Swanby wants to focus on achieving national distribution for his barbecue sauce.

But for the time being, Swanby said, "The barbecue sauce has taken a back seat since the food catering has literally blown up."

He realizes he will need to hire full-time employees to bring his vision to fruition.

Swanby doesn't see his move from hair styling to foodservice as major change.

"It's all about service," he said. "You're serving others. My ultimate passion is serving others. Cutting hair, you please one at a time. Cooking, you can please a hundred at a time."

All photos courtesy of Swampy's BBQ Sauce & Eatery.

About Elliot Maras

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Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.