College students raised on a diet that included Bubba Burgers soon could find the products served on campus.
Just as students can find Subway, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and other brands in some campus food courts, they soon could see the Bubba Burger brand of products featured as well.
"Mom has the burgers in the freezer; she's been cooking for the kids before they go off to college," said Jeff Smith, an executive with BIG American Brands LLC, the company created last year by Bubba Burger's management company, Hickory Foods Inc.
"Millennials are brand-conscious and quality-conscious," he said, referring to the 18- to 34-year-old Generation Y population cohort that includes college-age students.
William H. "Billy" Morris, founder and a director of Jacksonville-based Hickory Foods, created BIG American Brands to break into the campus food markets as well as other venues to cater to groups.
Hickory Foods executives decline to say which campuses will be the first to carry Bubba Burgers products because they are waiting for completed contracts.
They hint one is close by and another not far away. Smith said the first two would be "close to home."
"The effort is to get onto college campuses," Smith said.
Andy Stenson, vice president of marketing and business development for Hickory Foods, said BIG American Brands would work with the companies that handle food service at campuses or other venues.
The food-service company would set up and operate the Bubba Burger operation. While it could sell side products of its choosing, it would feature Bubba Burger as the main protein, Stenson explained.
Bubba Burger exited the restaurant business last year after a brief foray into opening Bubba Burger Grills. Bubba Burger took over the former Times Grill locations in the Jacksonville area and converted them into Bubba Burger fast-casual units.
Hickory Foods is based in West Jacksonville at 4339 Roosevelt Blvd. It is a private company and does not divulge financial details.
Along with creating BIG American Brands, Hickory Foods is developing another burger product that could reach more of the college crowd and other consumers — a vegan burger.
Bubba Burger comes in eight varieties, including a turkey burger. The vegan burger is in the late stage of development and would be tested on college campuses before it is rolled out into the retail market.
BIG American Brands is the holding company created to sell to food-service companies that operate at college campuses.
"It could morph into selling the concept into stadiums, schools, stadiums, businesses, any venues," Stenson said.
The hickoryfoods.com site lists the eight varieties as the Original Burger, Reduced Fat Burger, Angus Beef Burger, Jalapeno Burger, All Natural Premium Beef Burger, Sweet Onion Burger, Mini Burger and Turkey Burger.
Bubba Burgers are designed to stay frozen until they are put on a grill or in a skillet. "Do not thaw or refreeze Bubba Burgers," the company says, explaining that thawing and refreezing ruins the flavor and freshness.
Hickory Foods lists the "new Bubba items" as Bubba Choice Beef Sirloin Fillets and Center Cut Pork Loin Chops, both wrapped with Applewood Bacon; Hickory Smoked Authentic Pork BBQ with Sauce; Mild Italian Sausage; Hot Italian Sausage; and Original Bratwurst.
Stenson said Bubba Burger products are sold in all 50 states and worldwide in the military commissary system. Most major retailers carry the product in the United States. The company recently added Canada to its distribution and has added a media push in Toronto to introduce Bubba Burger.
Hickory Foods is the management company for Bubba Burger and for the Jacksonville-based Peterbrooke Chocolatier candy-maker. Morris bought Peterbrooke in January 2012 from an ownership team that included local businessman Kelly Harris.
Smith, COO of Peterbrooke, said there are 15 franchised Peterbrooke Chocolatier stores and eight corporate stores in the Southeast. He said sales and the number of transactions have increased for the five fiscal quarters since the acquisition.
Harris, who formerly owned the Times Grill restaurant locations, and his partners bought into Peterbrooke in 2009. He remains with the company on the Peterbrooke team.
Bubba Burger and Peterbrooke Chocolatier also will be found at The Players Championship tournament at TPC Sawgrass, where the products will be sold and served throughout the venue.
Bubba Burger is a player in the sports world.
Bubba Burger is the exclusive burger served in the American Airlines Center in Dallas and sponsors the Dallas Stars National Hockey League team and the Dallas Mavericks NBA team.
Bubba Burger also has sponsored NASCAR, SuperCross/MotoX, a boat in the F2 Powerboat Superleague and the Circuit of the Americas track in Austin Texas.
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