Grills are a small piece of Middleby's overall business, but it's also where they have some of the most tariff exposure. They saw early signs of growth in their grill brands (Masterbuilt, Kamado Joe, and Char-Griller) before the tariffs hit. In addition to trying to find ways to reduce costs, they're also trying to navigate retailers reducing inventory.
At Solo Stove, they're actively trying to right
the ship back towards growth. A big initiative they're undergoing is implementing a minimum advertised price (MAP) model. This is better for retail and gets aways from the constant discounting they were doing. They also are seeing early positive signs from their new griddle.
Rodney Scott and Myron Mixon are two of the biggest names in barbecue. They've partnered with Purina for a competition of the best tasting BBQ themed dog treats. It's up to dogs to decide which
tastes better, not people, but people can vote on it to be a permanent Beggin' Strip flavor.
ThermoWorks launched the SIZZLE digital thermometer that fills a price void between the ThermoPop 2 and the Thermapen. It's a great looking and performing thermometer that has a magnetic back, which is really handy for grilling. Priced at $59, I'm sure it will find it's way into many backyards.
Finally, at Revelyst, the parent company of Camp Chef, they've hired a
new CFO. He comes from VF Corp which also is a house of brands with names like The North Face. That experience should carry over well to Revelyst.
