Eddie Details Meeting With Kroger Executives Over Smokin’ Chicken Business

A Kroger Executive recognized Eddie while he was in the store, and they talked for a few minutes. He later realized he missed a huge opportunity for his Smokin’ Hot Chicken business, but then the same executive heard him talk about it on the Bobby Bones Show and reached out to him to set up a meeting!

He had the meeting at a Kroger store in a nice big conference room that was in the back of the store. He was nervous and dressed business casual. The executive he met the first time was there, but he also brought the Regional Manager in charge of stocking the Nashville area and surrounding areas. He also brought one of his smoked chickens for them to try that he had just cooked so it was still smoking. They made small talk in the beginning and then they started talking business and be brought out his chicken for them to try. He explained how he has a small smoker at his house and a good recipe, so if they can create the chicken with his recipe and put his name on it, they can have a business.

They ate the chicken, and the Regional Manger told him that he thought his chicken was good but getting into the chicken business is bad because it’s extremely hard. It needs to get FDA approved, licenses, scientists need to dissect it to know every ingredient in it and if it does not sell in two hours, they need to get rid of it. So, they told him they were not interested in the chicken business and asked if he had anything else. At the last minute he said he could put together fajitas kits, but they informed him they already had something like that. So, then he pitched them another idea that they loved but Eddie can’t share too many details about it yet, but he’s already started working on it. He would have to make it himself and they told him if he’s able to make a large quantity of around 10,000 bottles, find a co-packer and bottle it, they will sell it in their stores. They told him once it’s ready they want him to pitch it to the main boss at Kroger!