KC Natural, a young company that makes all-natural sauces for health-conscious barbecue lovers, is unveiling three new flavors, which should be in local stores by next week.
Its new Mastodon sauce is designed for customers who follow an autoimmune paleo (AIP) diet—and, as a result, it doesn’t include tomato sauce, spices derived from peppers or any other nightshade plant. Instead, its base is a carrot sauce seasoned with lemon, garlic and other natural ingredients.
“There’s no other sauce on the market that meets the Paleo AIP restrictions,” KC Natural founder Brendon O’Neill said. “On top of that, our Mastodon sauce has a flavor any barbecue lover would like.”
Sriracha-Q marries the fire of sriracha-style ingredients with a traditional KC barbecue flavor. And KC Natural’s Backyard Blend is a take on classic KC sauce, only with less sugar and fewer calories.
KC Natural stems from O’Neill’s personal need to avoid gluten and his lifelong love for Kansas City-style barbecue flavors. About 40 stores in Kansas City carry his products, including Hy-Vees on both side of the state line, three Whole Foods locations and several other stores, including McGonigle’s, Cosentino’s, Green Acres and Bulk-It.
A few months ago, O’Neill left his job in advertising to focus on KC Natural and meeting his next big business goal: introducing the brand to national stores and distributors. The company is gearing up for a Kickstarter campaign later this month to raise money and awareness.
KC Natural is focused on connecting with people who are part of the allergen-free and active-lifestyle community, whether that means contacting gluten-free bloggers, attending trade shows or partnering with nonprofits like the Food Equality Initiative, which provides food to low-income families with celiac disease. (KC Natural, which donates sauces to the Food Equality Initiative, is its “Pantry Partner” for the month of August.)
“It’s not just about being the healthiest sauce,” O’Neill said. “It’s about being a partner of the healthy food movement.”
