Check back often for more details about the latest specials, events and news from Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q and WeShipBarBQ.com.
News
Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® Partners with NCSU Students to Improve Online Ordering Process
Real world experience and connections benefits students and the local business willing to thinking outside of the typical chain of command
(Cary, NC) – Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® (SCNB) is pleased to announce that thanks to the partnership between the North Carolina-based restaurant brand and North Carolina State University's College of Management MIE 411 – Managing the Growth Venture course, the online sales and ordering process has been streamlined to produce a more customer-centric process.
During the Fall 2009 college semester, a group of students from Professor Lewis Sheats' MIE 411 course were charged with the daunting task of streamlining the online business model for the restaurant brand – incorporating such tools already in use, like social media and online ordering capabilities, but also auditing shipping and processing models that were not effectively yielding strong profit margins for the restaurant's shipped bar-b-q. The group presented a final presentation to Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q and the company quickly began work on applying the recommendations.
Jim Crawford, NCSU Class of 2010 student and group leader, noted that “[the group] found it valuable that SCNB believes and focuses on the customer being KING. In that regard, it made our project more definitive to zero-in on research, functionalities, strategies, operational efficiencies, and marketing, which on-end enhances the complete customer experience online." The opportunities didn't end with being able to partner with a customer-focused brand for the group though, “what made our team project so unique was the opportunity to work on a real growth venture within an entrepreneurial organization that has a long standing, unique, and rich North Carolina cultural history”, added Crawford.
“What makes the Entrepreneurship classes at NCSU so special is while students work on developing their entrepreneurial education they have the opportunity to work with real businesses in the community – identifying problems and creating real-life solutions,” says MIE 411 lecturer Lewis Sheats. “It is a great learning experience for them to see their work in action. We have several examples of students' work being implemented and making a real impact on the participating companies, SCNB being one of the more recent ones. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
“Selling our signature product online is a new venture for our company and like any new venture, you work through the kinks. The students from the College of Management helped us smooth out these issues”, concluded Richard Averitte, Marketing Director for Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q. “Their work exceeded our expectations and we are very pleased with the results.”
The final presentation that was made by the MIE 411 student group to decision-makers at Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q can be viewed on the restaurant's official blog at http://scnbnc.com/blog/ .
For more information about the NCSU College of Management's Entrepreneurship undergraduate program, please visit their website, or call the College directly at 919-515-5565. For more information about Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q®, please visit http://www.SCNBNC.com or call 919-852-1742.
Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q Lays Plans to Go National—Virtually
It's the world's oldest method of cooking, and the debates over the best way to cook it can get heated. Cookbooks specialize in the art of complementing it. There are entire competitions devoted to the very best sauces to cover it. There's even a national association dedicated to it. What are we talking about? Barbeque. BBQ. Bar-B-Q. However you spell it, you're bound to hear a hundred different opinions on the best way to cook it, sauce it, complement it and eat it. But one thing is certain—North Carolinians are very big fans of their barbecue. Make that Bar-B-Q. And its particular “sauce” isn't really a sauce at all.
Eastern style Bar-B-Q is slow cooked and bathed in vinegar, red pepper and salt. You won't find this in Texas or Memphis. So what happens if you find yourself in a cramped downtown Manhattan apartment or in the suburbs of Hollywood, California with a craving for that deliciously tangy Eastern Style Bar-B-Q? The answer to your hankering is available via the internet. The legendary , yet quaint, and highly favored Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q has figured out how to satisfy your hunger no matter where you reside.
Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q has been a household name for Eastern North Carolina style Bar-B-Q for 30 years. While Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q's traditional charm provides guests with a down-home dining experience, it is the fresh, quality fare that keeps them coming back. Besides the favorite Bar-B-Q, Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q is also known for its fried chicken, as well as other Southern meal essentials: potato salad, slaw, sweetened iced tea to wash it down, and banana pudding to finish things off.
Since opening the first restaurant in 1964, Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q has grown to thirty-three locations today. The company has an aggressive growth plan including expansion outside of North Carolina. Thanks to locations near major interstates, former North Carolina residents, and social media, Smithfield's Chicken N' Bar-B-Q has a name for itself outside the N.C. borders. But how would the company continue to push the brand out of state without building restaurants?
That question was just what Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q Marketing Director, Richard Averitte, needed to spark some creative sales expansion ideas. “People had been requesting that we ship our Bar-B-Q for years. We decided to answer their request, which would allow us to expand a different way, without the need for building additional physical restaurants.” Thus, the Smithfield's internet Bar-B-Q distribution was born. “Our process has been refined, so folks can get the best Eastern North Carolina style Bar-B-Q available, just as fresh as the day it is made,” Averitte adds.
Freshness Can't Be Beat
Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q commitment to freshness is second to none. Each of the thirty-three stores prepares their own Bar-B-Q fresh every day. The electric ovens in each store are loaded with pork shoulders to cook overnight . Every morning that freshly cooked pork is hand pulled and mixed to make their famous Bar-B-Q. Add some coleslaw and hushpuppies, and you've got Eastern Style Bar-B-Q perfection!
For the reasons of freshness and authenticity, Chris Hill of Hollywood, California orders Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q online. He is one of their biggest fans and admittedly addicted to their Brunswick stew, also available on the website. His reasons for ordering from Smithfield's are many, but he especially likes the customer service. “Where else can you order online and get a hand written thank you note? You don't find that kind of courtesy here in California!” Of course, he adds, “The whole package comes vacuum sealed, chilled, and ready to eat. I promise you can't smell this stuff and not want to dig in immediately.”
Online Food Purchases on the Rise
Chris is not alone in his online specialty food pursuits. Since the inception of online shopping, studies have tracked the online consumer's habits, and specialty food purchases have grown dramatically. Based on the survey results by Gregory K. White and Barbara J. Manning, specialty food and drink buyers are “highly educated…[and] eighty-five percent are between the ages of 25 and 54.” These are savvy shoppers. Smithfield's online storefront caters to the Bar-B-Q fan who desires the highest quality, freshest taste available. The process Smithfield's uses to ensure these demands are met is rather simple, but is continuously being refined.*
How does it work?
If you place an order during the week, you will receive an order confirmation via email, and your order is sent into the “Bar-B- Queue .” All orders must be placed by Sunday at midnight. On Monday evening the required amount of pork to fulfill the orders is loaded into the ovens at the designated online-order provider store. On Tuesday the Bar-B-Q is hand pulled and mixed and subjected to a freeze blast to bring the product below 40 degrees. Each order is then separated into 2.5lb or 5 lb vacuum sealed packages and stored in a freezer. On Wednesday morning, your orders are shipped to you in insulated coolers with cold packs. You'll receive it within two days, still well-chilled and ready to enjoy.
In-House to Your House
Today's redesigned Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q restaurants offer a charming ambiance housed in a sleek brick and steel building with huge windows. As the locals stop in, the ceiling fans whir above the chatter of the community patrons. There's still a sink in each dining room, reminiscent of the first Smithfield's Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q restaurant. With all of that, it might be tough to beat the in-house dining experience, but it's nice to know their delicious Bar-B-Q can be delivered to your house. Visit www.weshipbarbq.com to place your order today. Brew some sweet tea, take a bite, and chances are you'll feel like you're actually there. Enjoy!
