Follow up about Weber Charcoal Briqs

[TC Smoke & Que]

I almost dont know what to say at this point, watching this thread devolve from my original intent of just Trying to do Something to keep a high quality product on the market for those Brethren who would rather use such.
I will agree that there were business decisions made for reasons we will never know, which are normally based on Cost versus Profit; I have had to make some of those same decisions in the past, but it was always with the intent to provide the highest quality product that I could for my customers. Sometimes, to achieve such, I did take a cut in profits. That was my choice, but Product quality was the leading factor, period.
What I found over the years was that my customers appreciated that, and would accept the higher price for the knowledge they were getting what they wanted.
Yes, the big box stores have dictated which product lines they would sell through price by buying higher volume, which, the cheaper quality products afforded them. And yes there are many who will accept the cheaper price point of an inferior product without the understanding that they actually are spending more in the long run and getting a lesser final product in the end.

I want to Thank those who understood my original intent of this Thread and made an attempt to help with the keeping a superior product on the market for those who want such. Please dont stop your efforts and do inform others so that they too can help in this. Hopefully we can see this product be reinstated into the market place.
Thats what being a "Brethren" is all about.


And NO, I will not address the detractors of this thread. Just do not want more of the same.

 

[SlickRockStones]

You tell me then genius. How is it "not cost effective" when they aren't even manufacturing the product? How is it "not cost effective" if the cost is in a contract? How it is "not cost effective" if you are the one controlling the cost?

This goes all the way back to my first post. My first post said basically, "Call them back and get the truth" in not so many words. But no, the rest of you just went all in on the pity party emails as if they care about that at all.

If they aren't even going to tell you the truth then why are you even bothering with them anymore? Just use B&B and send Weber and email saying, "Maybe if you didn't lie to us about the real reason you are choosing to not get another contract then I might support your brand better".

Whats more is that you lot haven't even considered what a good company does before it discontinues a product. A good company tells it's customers before hand that a product is going away. They don't simply pull the rug out from everyone and then say, "Not cost effective" when they aren't even the manufacturer. All they have shown here is that they don't give a damn about your business. But you can't see that. So they don't care to tell you it's being discontinued. They don't care to tell you the truth about why there is no new contract. But you think they are going to care about your emails? Wow.

If you don’t care about what BBQ Brethren (the ones you refer to as “you people”) stand for, then why are you even bothering with us anymore? If we’re “you people” then that makes you not one of us. Cast your self centered negativity elsewhere and stop presuming everyone else is lying to you.

 

[wmarkw]

So, who is/was making them for Weber?

Bottom line here is people is that you will never know the full story on this. One thing is for sure is that economics and profit are at play.

I thought it was well known that Royal Oak makes these briqs for Weber. I had a RO rep stop by my trailer at a comp last year and when he saw my weber bags he told me that we (RO) make them. ymmv

 

[Whumpa]

I almost dont know what to say at this point, watching this thread devolve from my original intent of just Trying to do Something to keep a high quality product on the market for those Brethren who would rather use such.
I will agree that there were business decisions made for reasons we will never know, which are normally based on Cost versus Profit; I have had to make some of those same decisions in the past, but it was always with the intent to provide the highest quality product that I could for my customers. Sometimes, to achieve such, I did take a cut in profits. That was my choice, but Product quality was the leading factor, period.
What I found over the years was that my customers appreciated that, and would accept the higher price for the knowledge they were getting what they wanted.
Yes, the big box stores have dictated which product lines they would sell through price by buying higher volume, which, the cheaper quality products afforded them. And yes there are many who will accept the cheaper price point of an inferior product without the understanding that they actually are spending more in the long run and getting a lesser final product in the end.

I want to Thank those who understood my original intent of this Thread and made an attempt to help with the keeping a superior product on the market for those who want such. Please dont stop your efforts and do inform others so that they too can help in this. Hopefully we can see this product be reinstated into the market place.
Thats what being a "Brethren" is all about.


And NO, I will not address the detractors of this thread. Just do not want more of the same.

Thank you. I for one appreciate that you took the time and effort to inform us of Weber’s decision to stop production and sale of their briquettes. Thank you also for at least trying to circle the wagons in hope that they will change their minds. Yeah, maybe we are pissing into the wind, but still better than doing nothing in my view. Thanks Bud

 

[BBQNEWBI]

I thought it was well known that Royal Oak makes these briqs for Weber. I had a RO rep stop by my trailer at a comp last year and when he saw my weber bags he told me that we (RO) make them. ymmv

I don't believe what that rep said. Every briquette RO currently makes has their patented ridge shape. Plus that plastic bag is unlike any of their other packaging.

Jealous Devil on the other hand makes a large briquette and has a plastic resealable bag.

 

[Robert]

Rick,


Yes thank you for doing the initial leg work. Contrary to what some people believe, grass roots campaigns can work. Obviously not always, but it can be effective with enough voices.



Again, thank you for taking the initiative.



Robert

 

[Shiz-Nit]

One drop of rain does not make a tide. If you folks really want to see weber charcoal come back then you would be posting this on every grilling forum you can find. You would be making you tube videos of this. You would be contacting BBQ podcasts. You would contact your local news.

I spent two years helping a bunch of lazy old people try to change the world through a tea party. But in the end I was one of the only ones who even learned how to update the website.

People talk as if they want to do things, but mostly they just want to feel like they are doing something. Me? I stopped wasting my time with grass roots campaigns because most people are a joke. I doubt any of you are actually going to do anything meaningful to try to make this happen. Me? I'm just going to use B&B if I want good coals. And guess what, the rest of you are going to do the same thing. So don't give me this line about not doing enough. No one here is going to bother to do anything meaningful about this. I know it. You know it. What I posted, finding the real "Not cost effective problem" and solving that, is the only real answer. It's just that no one really wants to work and even Weber might be just giving us all a line. The real answer is they want more profit, not that it's not profitable to have someone else make a product for you with your name on it. It's not like they are shutting down a factory here. All of this is a joke to me that you people can't see whats really going on here, arn't going to do a single meaningful thing to get what you say you want, and then want to point the finger at me for not "sending an email too". The joke is that you think my one email or your one means anything to them. Work to get 10,000 emails and then maybe the news will make a story about it. Work to solve the lack of profit complaint that they have and maybe they will sell it agian.

But in the end, I'll see you posting a picture of your B&B cook, just like everyone else because none of you are going to do what it really takes.

 

[pjtexas1]

Dang I missed out on another trainwreck. This new guy is sounding a lot like that uds guy that used to yell at us for wasting money buying cookers when a uds won a competition somewhere. I think he got banned.
... dude chill out. We're not wanting to fight or argue with you. This is not that kind of place. I hope you learn to come here relax and enjoy yourself. There's plenty of other places to go if you want to stir and fight. We like to light a fire, post some pics and leave the bs outside these hallowed walls. Oh and maybe, just maybe drink a beer or light a fatty. Peace brother!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Kanco Connection]

Amen to that, Pete ^

 

[jzadski]

This is from Rea, Monday 10/05/2020...for me I can always pop across the bridge to get some.

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, US sales of our charcoal were not sufficient enough to support the product. It is still being sold in Mexico and Canada where it is cost effective. I also found out is that the Royal Oak “Chef Select” is essentially the same product. It is primarily being sold at GFS Food Service.



I wish I had better news for you.

 

[jacobp]

For anyone just dying for it, Home Depot does have some stock they're selling online. You'll pay full price, $19.99 a bag, but free shipping. I have 4 bags coming today.

 

[KevGuy]

This is from Rea, Monday 10/05/2020...for me I can always pop across the bridge to get some.

.

Ah, no you can’t just “pop” across the bridge to get some. Have you been living in a bubble the past 8 months? The Canada-USA border is closed to non commercial traffic.

 

[KevGuy]

This is from Rea, Monday 10/05/2020...for me I can always pop across the bridge to get some.

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, US sales of our charcoal were not sufficient enough to support the product. It is still being sold in Mexico and Canada where it is cost effective. I also found out is that the Royal Oak “Chef Select” is essentially the same product. It is primarily being sold at GFS Food Service.



I wish I had better news for you.

I’m glad to hear that it will still be sold in Canada. Otherwise it would leave me with Kingsford or Royal Puke to choose from.

 

[onemanlan]

I didn't know briquettes were so spicy.

 

[TC Smoke & Que]

In doing some research I also found out about Royal Oak manufacturing "Weber" and then selling it as their "Chief Select" through GFS. Hopefully I can find someone locally to "buy" it through.
This area (Treasure Coast) of Florida is so BBQ poor that the only thing I can find is B&B through Ace Hardware by order. The box stores have the KBB, ridge, and mostly pellets after that, even lump seems limited.

 

[Mikhail]

I just checked and it is nowhere I could find on the GFS site. It may be order only. I'll check with my store later.

 

[TC Smoke & Que]

I just checked and it is nowhere I could find on the GFS site. It may be order only. I'll check with my store later.

Probably going to find someone in the commercial food service and see if they can order a couple of extra bags through GFS.

 

[Big Andy]

And see, this is part of the real solution. Weber does not own a plant. They don't make their own coals. They don't have employees doing this. Even the bag says it's made FOR weber, not BY weber. So when Weber says that "It's not cost effective", they are not actually telling the truth. As you just stated, they could lower the cost by changing the bag, etc.

What they probably mean is that they cannot get a contract for the cost that they are looking for verses the selling price that they want to sell it at. With Walmart selling 6 dollar bags and Royal Oak selling 7 dollar bags at lowes and B&B selling it's bag for 13 dollars at Ace Hardware, Weber simply can't find someone to make them they way they want, for the price they are willing to pay, verses the sales price of the market.

What should stick in your craw, all of you that want these, is that they are unwilling to make any changes even to the bag in order to get these made and to market at an affordable price. What should be getting to you is that they are wanting to sell to the high end market for a high end price that the market simply isn't going to bear. This isn't about being cost effective when you aren't even the one making the product. This is about profit and sales numbers.

And none of you, not one of you, have even thought about the possibility that they may have taken these off the market just to stick it to the supplier that probably wanted to charge a lot more for the contract. This all might just be a big business game to Weber. Not "Cost Effective"? Yeah right.

Well I saw in another thread that this guy has finally worn out his welcome, so I will not add any more complaining to a charcoal issue that people are trying to remedy.

 

[Big Andy]

In doing some research I also found out about Royal Oak manufacturing "Weber" and then selling it as their "Chief Select" through GFS. Hopefully I can find someone locally to "buy" it through.
This area (Treasure Coast) of Florida is so BBQ poor that the only thing I can find is B&B through Ace Hardware by order. The box stores have the KBB, ridge, and mostly pellets after that, even lump seems limited.

The chef select used to be sold thru DoItBest affiliated hardware stores. The DoItBest site shows it available. You may find a store in your area.

 

[jzadski]

Ah, no you can’t just “pop” across the bridge to get some. Have you been living in a bubble the past 8 months? The Canada-USA border is closed to non commercial traffic.

Oh yes very true. Meaning once this clears up or I could always pop over. If I really reallly need some I have had some firends from Ontario say the could bring a bag over with them to our work. Yes they are coming over to the states for the past month or so.