Kingsford Honors Black Barbecue With Fellowships and Business Grants

Black History Month may be over but Kingsford Charcoal continues to celebrate the contributions that Black people have made to barbecue culture by launching its second year of the Preserve the Pit fellowship. 

Last year, the grilling brand received more than 1,500 applications and awarded three barbecue entrepreneurs with an industry fellowship. Due to the outpouring of interest and inspiring stories, the program was expanded to also include 10 small business grants. The Fellows received training and one-on-one mentorship from industry leaders who share Kingsford’s commitment to honoring the history of Black barbecue.  

“We were overwhelmed by the response to Preserve the Pit last year and the incredible work done by our Mentor Network and Fellows,” said Ram Gopalakrishnan, marketing director at Kingsford. “While the first year of the fellowship was a success, we know that many of the same systemic issues in the barbecue industry exist today which is why we’re doubling our investment in the Black barbecue community.” 

Kingsford aims to name six aspiring barbecue professionals as Preserve the Pit Fellows. Ten deserving applicants will also be provided with grants to kick start their small businesses. Additionally, Restaurateur Pat Neely will be joining the effort as a new mentor alongside Dr. Howard Conyers, pitmaster and educator on the history of Southern barbecue, and the returning Mentor Network including Chef Kevin Bludso, FoodLab Detroit Executive Director Devita Davison, Chef Bryan Furman, “barbecue nerd” Rashad Jones and “barbecue heiress” Amy Mills.

“Working with the first class of Fellows and mentors last year was incredibly inspiring and rewarding,” said Dr. Howard Conyers. “I remain confident that through our shared passion, Kingsford, the Mentor Network and I can continue to provide resources and business opportunities to help future generations thrive in the barbecue industry and keep them connected to the culture and history of the craft.” 

Kingsford and its Mentor Network will select the 2022 class of fellows based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, their connection to barbecue, contributions to the legacy of the Black barbecue community and commitments to fueling its future.

To further honor the Black community’s contributions to barbecue, Kingsford teamed up with artist-activist Brandan “BMike” Odums to create a special-edition Preserve the Pit bag, which is available for purchase at Walmart. The bag, titled “Pass it On,” is inspired by the Black barbecue traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation.

A portion of the sales* from the “Pass it On” bag will be reinvested into Preserve the Pit to continue to pave the way for future generations of Black barbecue enthusiasts. The piece has also been memorialized as a mural at the historic Black-owned Payne’s BBQ in Memphis, Tennessee (seen above). 

The second class of fellows will be announced next month.