Barvecue Breaks Ground on Plant-Based Smokehouse

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Barvecue, producers of wood-smoked, plant-based barbecue, announced the ground breaking on its plant-based smokehouse. The 10,000-square-foot production facility, to be called the Carolina Smokehouse, is scheduled to open in July of 2021. It will have an initial capacity to make 800,000 pounds per year of Barvecue's Pulled BVQ (with original sauce), Chopped BVQ (same as pulled, but gluten-free) and Naked versions of both (lightly seasoned, no sauce).

According to Future Marketing Insights (FMI), the global plant-based pork market is projected to rise at an CAGR of 24% between 2020 and 2030, and barbecue is an important segment of this market, said Barvecue. "As the plant-based meat market surges, so, too, does the demand for our wood-smoked, plant-based Barvecue. As we grow to keep up with demand for Barvecue products, we decided that it was time to expand production and lead the way in the plant-based barbecue market," said Founder and CEO, Lee Cooper.

The smokehouse is expected to employ 15 people within the first year. Barvecue said it will be built to GMP and SQF food safety standards and based on the master plan by Food Plant Engineering. Siddhi Ops is providing instrumental equipment and operations consulting and the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab is providing technical and food safety support.

Barvecue's current facility will become the brand's Innovation Center when the Carolina Smokehouse opens.

"Our goal is to make delicious Barvecue, for everyone. We are excited to break ground on the world's largest plant-based smokehouse so that we can soon do exactly that," said Lee.