Twenty Year Old Recipe Created by Homeless Chef Used to Launch New BBQ Brand

Oct. 25, 2011 - PRLog -- Phoenix, Arizona.  Nearly 20 years ago an indigent chef walked into Peoria Rescue Mission in Peoria, IL.  Given his level of expertise, it is no surprise he ended up cooking in the mission’s long-term recovery program.  Along the way, this chef created a unique BBQ sauce recipe.  

The recipe has been held privately for twenty years.  David Trecek, whose father Jerry Trecek has directed Peoria Rescue Ministries for over 42 years says, “This recipe has been a family favorite for over two decades.  This is a product and a story that should be shared and used to raise awareness of the plight of those that walk our streets and the fine organizations that serve them every day.  Trecek has put together a team to bring the product to market under the label “Skid Road BBQ,” in honor of the humble beginnings of the original recipe.

Today, Trecek has framed the recipe to protect it from further wear.  It is wrinkled and stained, but still legible.  The BBQ sauce is a sweet blend, mild in taste, but with a lingering heat that kicks in to add zest and warmth.

To raise funds for the initial production of the sauce, Trecek has turned to a little known, but increasingly popular vehicle called “crowd funding.”  By putting together a short promotion, a product can be placed on one of many crowd funding sites and get exposure to people interested in supporting worthy projects.  Skid Road BBQ's initial request is for a modest $15,000 to prepare and bottle the initial run.  “We will use the initial batch to test the market,” claims David Trecek.  “Our initial goal is to get this into enough hands to build interest.  Then we can get the production up and running.”

If funding goes as planned, initial samples will be available in mid-November with a full product launch in 2012.  For those whose gifts achieve minimal thresholds, sample bottles will be shipped to them.

On Indiegogo.com, where Skid Road BBQ is attracting their cadre of supporters and fans, the public and more than 40,000 members review projects, make contributions, and receive rewards as part of a new way of funding popular initiatives or products.

Skid Road BBQ happens to represent both a new product trying to get a foothold in the market, and an initiative to help the homeless.

Importantly, Trecek and his team are committed to building a perpetual model by donating a portion of proceeds from the sales of the product to raise funds for homeless shelters around the United States.  According to Trecek, “The least we can do is utilize the product created by this homeless chef to give back and support this important work.”

Another important part of the give-back of this project is real awareness building. Every donor gets an email with a list of homeless shelters in their area as part of the thank-you note for their contribution. This will hopefully bring the subject of homelessness to a very personal and local context so that more can be done to help those in need.

Trecek explains, “Whether you can give of your time, your money, or some other contribution, these are organizations helping people in your neighborhood who can really use your help.”

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Reyactive LLC supports Skid Road BBQ by maximizing the reach of their crowdfunding initiative. More than simply a new barbecue sauce, the story behind Skid Road BBQ is truly inspiring and unique and deserves real support in its efforts to help those who need it most in our society by creating a self-sustaining model for supporting homeless shelters across the country.