MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Rum and Que - BBQ Champions of Flavour
Rum and Que sprung to life at New Zealand's first barbeque competition - Meatstock 2017. A bunch of mates that loved food, flavour and the chance to try their hand at something new. Armed with homemade rubs and sauces they immersed themselves into a scene like no other. The team is made up of Matt and Tracey, husband and wife along with their good mate Ryan, who started as backyard cooks and took their passion for BBQ to the competitive circuit.
Fast forward to today, Rum and Que has evolved into a family-run business. Staying true to their beginnings, they've hung on to their flavours and continued to create and perfect a range of products that they are proud to have on shelves and in the hands of competition teams and fellow food lovers to enjoy.
We asked Matt a few questions about how he has grown his business and where they find inspiration to create new products.
Can you tell us how Rum and Que started and what inspired you to turn competition BBQ into a business?
In 2016, we entered New Zealand’s first BBQ competition, Meatstock, and quickly realised there were no local rubs or sauces that suited our needs. So, we started making our own. As we refined our flavours and won competitions, other teams began asking what we were using. Demand grew, and to fundraise for a prestigious BBQ competition in the U.S. (“The Jack”), we started selling our rubs. Butcher shops and retailers soon took notice, and that’s when we knew we had something worth packaging up into a retail format. Scaling up from nothing was a huge learning curve and one we look back on with an immense amount of pride.
What was the first product you launched, and how has the range evolved?
Our first rub was Hot Coq, a spicy blend for pork and chicken. While it performed well in competitions, New Zealanders were finding it too spicy. So we toned down the heat to create Soft Coq for a broader appeal. From there, we developed Bull Dust (an all-purpose beef rub) and Ramrod (lamb rub), followed by Ribrocker and our unique Blackout rub. Over time, we expanded into sauces and seasonings, like Garlic Butter and Truffle Butter. The range is looking great these days, but inspiration comes from everywhere.
What sets your rubs, sauces and seasonings apart from others in the market?
Our rubs, sauces, and seasonings are carefully balanced to appeal to a wide range of tastes and continue to win product awards in New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S. We also test them in BBQ competitions worldwide. We are one of the top-earning teams in our country for Grand Championships. Our back-to-back wins at Meatstock (2024 and 2025) show that our products perform at the highest level.
What are some trends you’re seeing in the BBQ world and how do they influence your product development?
Our BBQ competitions continually drive us to create products that give great colour and flavour to meals. People eat with their eyes, so a lot of thought goes into what the product looks like on raw products as well as the cooked product.
BBQ trends evolve, and we adapt. In the past, low-and-slow cooking dominated, but now, faster, high-heat cooking is on the rise. These changing trends help shape us as product creators.
How do your products help butchers and meat retailers create standout offerings?
Butchers are always looking for ways to add value and make meals easier for customers. Our products help them create standout offerings that can be widely consumed by keeping allergens to a minimum—only three of our products aren’t gluten-free. We also focus on packaging that looks great on shelves and encourages customers to give the usual meal routines a bit of a shake-up.
Your rubs and sauces are popular among home cooks and BBQ lovers – how did the idea for the sausage mix come about?
Retail can be unpredictable, as we saw during COVID-19. We’ve built many relationships within the butchery industry in the last 7 years, and we find opportunities to create cool ideas. We wanted to create something butchers could use year-round. Being a Dad of two kids, I fully understand how fussy children can be when it comes to food. Conversations with butchers revealed a gap in the market for high-quality, kid-friendly flavours, so we developed sausage mixes that offer unique, easy-to-use solutions that can be used all year round.
If a butcher wanted to experiment with your products in-store, what is the best way to get started?
It all starts with a conversation. We love talking with butchers. Everyone has a different perspective on the industry and what we can offer to customers. We are very active on social media and have frequent visits and calls to butcher shops. I would encourage any butcher keen to use our products to reach out on social media:
Instagram - @rumandque
Facebook - @rumandque
Email – sales@rumandque.com
Phone – 0211418449
What has been the most rewarding part of growing Rum and Que?
We love seeing our products on the shelves in shops around New Zealand and Australia, as well as being tagged in social media, seeing how other foodies are using our products.
What is your go-to BBQ meal, and which of your products do you swear by?
As true carnivores, our BBQs always feature a standout protein, and beef short ribs are a favorite. We love combining Asian flavors - Intensify and Bull Dust make a bold seasoning base, while our Char Siu sauce adds the perfect Eastern touch. For an extra umami kick, mixing Meat Juice with soy sauce and ginger creates a rich glaze that takes any BBQ to the next level.