NY's Prime 6 Charcoal Heats Up ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’
Riki and Oron Franco of Prime 6 recently appeared on the show Shark Tank.
This is the web edition of the NYC BBQ Weekly newsletter. If you would like to receive this in your inbox for free each week, subscribe here!
The founders of Prime 6, a New York-based premium charcoal company, swam with the “sharks” on the TV show Shark Tank this past Friday and walked away with a deal. Wife and husband duo Riki and Oron Franco secured a deal with Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful, with O’Leary offering $200,000 for a 25% stake in the company.
The Franco family founded Prime 6 in 2018 around the idea that charcoal using in grilling should last longer and be 100% natural and sustainable. The two built the company by taking the product directly to restaurants to have chefs try it and having it used by prominent pitmasters at top New York barbecue events such as Pig Island, Rib King NYC, and NYCWFF Titans of BBQ.
I had the chance to catch up with Prime 6 CEO and co-founder Riki Franco to ask about the experience of being on Shark Tank, what specifically makes their charcoal better, and more. Here are six questions and answers with Franco.
The premium charcoal from Prime 6 has a unique hexagonal shape.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ): Congrats on the appearance and getting a deal with Kevin O'Leary on Shark Tank! How was your experience on the show?
Riki Franco: Thank you! It was extraordinary and thrilling, stressful, and also a lot of fun. The sharks were asking a lot of questions and were really intrigued by the product and innovation. It's a once in a lifetime experience for sure.
SL: To consumers who know a little bit about charcoal but are not familiar with Prime 6, how would you describe it to them?
RF: It is still charcoal, only it’s made better, performs better, and is 100% sustainable. The only ingredient in Prime 6 is repurposed sawdust. The technique we use results in a briquette that contains pure carbon with no binder, filler, or chemicals. We like to say that we are elevating it to an ingredient level. It is also the only charcoal that is 100% hardwood and 100% natural, with clean cooking, better performance, and low to no cleanup.
SL: Where did the original idea for Prime 6 come from?
RF: We saw a similar-looking product in Vietnam several years ago. We didn't think much of it at the time because we had another business called FeedMe, a tech startup that we were passionate about. However, the memory stuck with us and it was really about timing. Fast forward to 2018, we were pregnant with our second child, we got into a conversation about life, being financially independent, building a legacy for our kids, our journey from Mexico (where we met), and we simply had a light-bulb moment about the charcoal. We reached out to a factory and worked with them to make it 100% sustainable. After some trial and error, a few months later we had a prototype and at that point, we knew this was revolutionary.
Prime 6 charcoal has been used at many top barbecue events including this year's Pig Island NYC event on Staten Island.
SL: You've provided charcoal for top barbecue pitmasters to use at local events such as Pig Island and NYCWFF in NYC. Did that help open any doors?
RF: Yes, absolutely. We love being part of the BBQ community. The chefs, pitmasters, and organizers make you feel that you belong. I remember last year when we were just getting started I called [Food Karma Projects head] Jimmy Carbone out of the blue and pitched him on Prime 6 in a 10-minutes conversation. He had never met me but immediately agreed to give me a chance in both Rib King NYC and Pig Island. I will never forget it. We were lighting up the charcoal for all the chefs and this is how we got the nicknames Mr. and Ms. Charcoal.
SL: How many stores are you in and where can people buy Prime 6 now?
RF: We are currently in 1,200 stores nationwide. In the tri-state area, you can find it at Wegmans, Giant Carlisle, Fresh Market, and many others. You can search on our store locator, and we also sell online on Walmart.com, Lowes.com, and our website.
SL: What is next for you and your team now that you have the opportunity to work closely with O'Leary?
RF: Grow, grow, grow! Having Kevin on the team is phenomenal. He loves the product and loves to cook, so I believe we will see him showing off his grilling skills very soon.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Ed and Noelle Randolph pose in front of a Mill Scale smoker at their new restaurant Handsome Devil BBQ.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
Following my story last week, the Hudson Valley Post has also spotlighted the new Handsome Devil BBQ joint in Newburgh, NY. Pitmaster Ed Randolph has been planning the restaurant for some time and it’s already a hit, selling out on most days it has been open so far.
Vagabond BBQ, an eclectic BBQ joint in Frenchtown, NJ, was recently spotlighted for its brisket cheesesteak. The delicious-looking sandwich is “made from 12-hour, slow-smoked, fall-apart brisket on a toasted long roll, served true Philly style with cheese sauce and fried onions,” reports MyCentralJersey.
A local New Jersey competition barbecue team on the Turkey Smoke championship at the KCBS World Invitational recently. Local Smoke BBQ of Brielle, NJ won the contest, which is hosted by KCBS and the National Turkey Federation.
Nathan’s, best known for its hot dogs, has launched a ghost kitchen focused on chicken wings in Long Island that might expand further if it’s successful. The ghost kitchen, called Wings of New York (very original name!), will eventually be found on Uber Eats, DoorDash, Seamless, and Postmates.
A quick reminder that food pantries in and around NYC are struggling to keep up with a dramatic increase in demand for assistance due to the coronavirus pandemic, so please give to your local food bank if you can. I’ve got word that several people in the NYC BBQ community are planning to host a huge operation to feed those in need in late December. If you know a local church or organization that distributes hot meals that would be interested in boxed BBQ meals to give out or want to volunteer, please let me know.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
The Great Queens Chicken Wing Hunt is happening now, where you can take part in trying the best wings in Queens, including these wings from Bridie's Bar & Grill in Rego Park.
November 8, 2020 - February 8, 2021: Throughout November, December, and January, The Great Queens Chicken Wing Hunt is being hosted around Queens. Until December 26, you can pick up a “Wing Hunting Season Pass” at Tap House / Acey Ducey's in Forest Hills and then visit great bars/joints around Queens to try wings. At each participating location, you’ll get four jumbo wings. Buy tickets here.
April 21, 2021: If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King 2021. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their takes on brisket and pastrami. Read more about the 2019 edition of Brisket King or about the importance of Brisket King to the BBQ community. Buy tickets here.
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, information concerning events in NYC is subject to change, and events may be rescheduled. CHECK OUT THE FULL EVENTS CALENDAR HERE.
SAY HELLO
If you're not already subscribed to the newsletter, sign up here. You can also follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. If you want to write for NYC BBQ Weekly, sponsor the newsletter, or let me know about the best new barbecue you’ve tried, send me an email and let’s talk!