Thayer business partners fire up new venture

Currier & Reeves LLC produces oak grill planks sold at Outdoor Home

by Eric Olson

SBJ Reporter

eolson@sbj.net

When Thayer businessmen Sam Currier and Bill Reeves made the two-hour drive to Springfield's Outdoor Home May 5, they noticed a new grilling product on the shelves. Admittedly biased, Currier and Reeves hope it ignites sales.

Currier & Reeves LLC, a new venture for the two business partners, produces the red oak grill planks Outdoor Home began selling May 3 just in time for grilling season. The planks are a byproduct of their $2 million, 14-year-old Warm Fork Woodlands Inc., a Thayer business that cuts oak boards for the pallet industry.

The partners formed Currier & Reeves LLC on Jan. 5.

"It was a natural transition for us," Reeves said.

The timing couldn't be better, according to Matt Morrison, account manager at The Team, Currier & Reeves' marketing agency. May has been tabbed national barbecue month, and the business partners hope to capitalize with the new venture.

Outdoor Home owner R.D. Schmidt said that's likely considering grill enthusiasts' increasing demand. Outdoor Home, 3107 E. Chustnut, sells grills, grilling products, patio furniture and backyard accessories.

Grill planks act as a bed for grilling.

"We sell a lot of planks," Schmidt said. "It's a very good way to cook food."

Grill planks shield meats from direct flames, while holding moisture and producing a smoky taste, Reeves said. The concept originated in the Pacific Northwest from a method used by Native Americans cooking fresh fish, but it has evolved to grilling red meats, pork, chicken and wild game.

"Anything can be planked. Years and years ago, when they were cooking their fish over open fires, they discovered that if they laid fish on a wooden plank it prevented the fish from burning up and drying out," Reeves said, adding that it also enhances flavor. "In the northwest there still is planking, and throughout the United States there is a limited amount of planking offered in restaurants."

While Outdoor Home already carries maple, cherry and cedar planks in bulk, Schmidt said Currier & Reeves' product is the store's first red oak planks. Currier & Reeves' planks come pre-packaged in bundles of three Schmidt said.

"These are nicely packaged and smoothly finished," Schmidt said. "What I've been getting has been rough."

In addition to adding the planks to its shelves, Outdoor Home is marketing the grill planks to the store's distribution network. Schmidt said he distributes products to 100 outdoor specialty stores across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

"We're sending stuff out to them now," Schmidt said.

Currier & Reeves has a second agreement with Farmland Industries Inc., a Kansas City-based major pork producer. The noncash deal places a link to Currier & Reeves' Web site, www.grillplanks.com, on Farmland's site. In exchange, Farmland is Currier and Reeves' exclusive supplier of pork for demonstrations and marketing, Currier said.

First-year sales are projected to total $320,000 at 60 percent production capacity, Currier said. For now, Currier and Reeves handle the bulk of the new venture; they expect to hire 12 employees in addition to the 26 Warm Fork Woodlands employees when demand increases.

The idea for a new business started when Currier and Reeves, both avid outdoor cookers, were introduced to a Pacific Northwest planking recipe while on an annual Alaskan fishing trip. They fell in love with it, applied their knowledge of cutting wood and voila, a business was born.

At first, they produced planks for personal use and for friends.

"Everybody just loved it," Reeves said.

Then The Team designed a logo and Web site, and found partners to help Currier & Reeves grow the business.

Schmidt suspects 75 of Outdoor Home's network of 100 stores will begin selling the product.

"We promote this type of cooking," he said. "People that have been buying planks, they love them. It's especially good for some people that want a smoke flavor on a gas grill."

Planking 101

Currier & Reeves plank packages retail for $14.95. The planks can be used two or three times, Reeves said. Planks should be stored in the freezer between uses.

Soaking the wood is essential to the process. Reeves said planks should be soaked in water, wine, beer or juice, depending on the meat. Soaking times vary between 20 minutes minimum and several hours, depending on desired flavoring.

Reeves recommends using dry white wine for fish, beer with chicken or pork and red wine with beef. "You can be creative," he said, adding that cooking times are normal.