Gluten free, vegan, certified organic, and reduced sugar. Oftentimes, it is hard to check all of the boxes when it comes to our food. But Triple Crown barbeque sauce has done just that! In addition to its healthy makeup and natural ingredients, it even tastes delicious - proving that Triple Crown can stand on its own on the shelf. Success is even ingrained in their name. After three Blue Ribbon wins at the Minnesota State Fair, they coined themselves “Triple Crown” and never looked back.
Owner Andrew Wright was first introduced to the brand while working as a distributor for Co-op Partners Warehouse in St. Paul. He brought Triple Crown into the warehouse and began introducing it across the region in various coops and larger chains like Whole Foods. These stores were ahead of the curve for stocking shelves with healthy choices and quality goods, but more and more started embracing the Triple Crown label. As success escalated and Andy became more involved with the brand, it made complete sense when the owner, a hobby sauce maker, approached him with an offer to buy the business. Admittingly, he says it was “a bit of a learning curve.” It wasn’t just distribution anymore, but he added quality control, shipping and marketing to his plate. Based on his prior work at Organic Valley, he also decided to rework the recipe and to make it a certified organic barbeque sauce. He worked towards the delicate balance of maintaining the great taste while at the same time making sure it was certified organic, vegan and non-GMO. Andy was “looking for a clean product, a nourishing product,” which according to him, should be the baseline when it comes to all food.
By 2014, Triple Crown had upgraded ingredients, began sourcing local ingredients, had reduced sugar content, and succeeded in becoming gluten free and certified organic. The Classic flavor is the best seller, but is also the most widely known. Black Garlic is the second most popular (and a stand-alone as far as flavors in the barbeque sauce world go), followed by a less sweet, Hickory Bourbon that includes organic bourbon from Journeyman Distillery. Today, the ingredients are clean and the taste is elevated for everyone from the backyard BBQ to the gourmet dinner. Triple Crown’s competitive days are far from over. Recently, they celebrated a 3rd Place win in the 2019 national All American Royal contest held annually in Kansas City, followed by a 2nd Place win in 2020. This year, Andy says, “We’re going for first.”
Even with all the fun, the work to push healthier options is never over, and Andy has his sights set on growth for Triple Crown adding he “wants to keep distribution strong and consistent with expansion into the U.S. Rocky Mountain region and Canada.” Covid-19 has affected sampling and events in a major way, but that hasn’t stopped the word of mouth and momentum Triple Crown is experiencing. One has to taste it to believe it! On the horizon, they have fresh products in the works including a new sauce to add to the lineup and a fully developed seasoning / dry rub combo. Triple Crown packs great flavor with clean ingredients, and whether you want to marinate, baste, or dip your barbeque, now you have a healthier option.
Triple Crown barbeque sauce can be found in Whole Foods, local Twin Cities Coops like The Wedge and Linden Hills Coop, Kowalski’s Markets, and certain Lunds and Byerly’s locations. www.triplecrownbbqsauce.com Follow @triplecrownbbqsauce on Facebook and Instagram.
See our recipe by Genna Marks in this issue of Minneapolis Lakes.
