Exclusive to the Healthy Fats Coalition
The Bissmeyer siblings (Clockwise from upper left) – Bernie, Joe, Tom, David, and Monica
What’s the history of the company?
Whose idea was it to commercialize/productize bacon grease? Better N Bacon LLC (BNB) is the company behind Bacon Up® Bacon Grease. BNB is a family-founded, family-funded entrepreneurial venture started and managed by five siblings who grew up in Owensboro, Kentucky. For decades now, the siblings and their extended families have been frying turkeys at their Thanksgiving gatherings. A few years back they used bacon grease instead of peanut oil and LOVED it. The light bulb went off and the brainstorming began on how they could package and market authentic, ready-to-use bacon grease for the masses – and what eventually became “Bacon Up” was born.
How does this differ from the traditional DIY approach? What are the advantages?
First, it must be said: Saving your own bacon grease is wonderful! We save our bacon grease, too! If you save your bacon grease – or remember your parents or grandparents saving theirs in a can or jar -- then you understand the delicious flavor advantage of frying, cooking and baking with it. But if you really want to use it in everything, all the time, you just can’t save enough – and you end up scrimping, rationing, or skipping the bacon grease all together. So, the primary advantage of Bacon Up is that now you can always have enough bacon grease on hand – even enough to fill a turkey fryer.
Additionally, Bacon Up is triple-filtered for purity, which means it has a longer shelf life. Some people like the flavor or texture of the bits of meat that can end up in your saved grease, but those meat bits are what go rancid first. So, we remove them, giving Bacon Up a longer shelf life. And refrigeration is optional, not required. Finally, you’ll never burn yourself using Bacon Up! Pouring hot bacon grease can be hazardous, and grease burns are not fun. Let us handle collecting it so you can just focus on creative ways to use it to add flavor to all your favorite recipes.
How is the product priced?
Bacon Up is available in two sizes on an everyday basis – and this year we tested a new, third size, designed for turkey frys. The 14 oz. tub is widely available in more than 17,000 stores and is the everyday, “go-to” size. The 9-pound pail is only available online (on Amazon and Walmart.com) and is ideal for deep frying and frequent users. In November 2023, we offered a limited edition “Big Size for Turkey Frys” (a 21.85-pound bucket) - roughly the equivalent of 3 gallons of oil. We are considering offering it seasonally in 2024. Each retailer determines their own pricing and it varies widely. The 14 oz. tub is generally available at retail between $7-$10 and the 9-pound pail is currently priced by both online retailers at about $55.
Where is the product available?
Bacon Up is available in more than 17,000 stores nationwide – including most major grocery store chains and many other smaller, independent and regional stores (in the cooking oil aisle). You can also find it in the outdoor cooking section of many major hardware stores (including Lowe’s Home Improvement and participating Ace stores), Sporting goods stores (including Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and Scheels), and farm supply stores (including participating Tractor Supply and Rural King stores), as well as many independent boutiques, gourmet shops, and barbecue supply stores. Importantly, Bacon Up is still available where it all started -- in all Buc-ee’s Travel Centers (near the Lodge® cast iron displays).
What are the most popular uses/applications?
We encourage people to start with a scoop of Bacon Up instead of their usual cooking oil to add next-level flavor to anything they fry, cook, or bake. “Fry Cook Bake” is even our email address: frycookbake@baconup.com.
Bacon Up is immensely popular for cooking in cast iron (as well as for seasoning cast iron cookware), and for use on Blackstone and other brands of non-stick griddles. Much like cast iron, a griddle’s surface needs to be seasoned (and occasionally re-seasoned) and Bacon Up is great for that, with its high smoke point and built-in flavor.
And unlike traditional grilling, when using a griddle, the surface needs a layer of oil to cook on -- and Bacon Up provides a “layer of flavor” that forms a delicious foundation for any recipe.
Has the company developed recipes that use the product in creative ways?
We have many fantastic recipes on our website and hundreds of videos of people frying, cooking, and baking with Bacon Up on our social media – including well-known “TikTok cooks” and influencers, as well as lots of user generated content shared by men and women across the country who have discovered Bacon Up and incorporated it into their cooking routines. Two of the most popular uses that sometimes surprise people: using Bacon Up to pop popcorn and in place of half of the butter or shortening in chocolate chip cookies. Both are absolutely delicious.
What do you most want HFC supporters to know about?
HFC supporters generally know this, but we wish average consumers understood that bacon grease --and other animal fats -- are a healthier option than hydrogenated fats/oils. There are so many myths and misperceptions out there about bacon and bacon grease being (supposedly) “so bad for you,” and it’s not as black and white as most people think. The real story is fact-based and very compelling, but it is so difficult to convey in a quick social media post or print ad!