May 22, 2020
Memorial Day Grilling
Emily McGee, Director – Communications, HPBA
Happy Memorial Day weekend! For most of us, this probably isn’t how we thought we would spend this weekend, but we are seeing signs that more people than ever are using this time to enjoy their backyards and get back to the barbecue.
Everyone is cooking from home more frequently than before and with the weather warming up, that cooking is moving outside. The flavor and convenience of a grill can’t be beat. In April, we did an online survey of grilling enthusiasts and half of them are cooking out more this year than last. That trend will probably last as more grillers are experimenting with techniques, products and recipes. If the usual cut of meat isn’t available, try a different cut or cook vegetables and fish. The possibilities are endless.
What else are we hearing? We’ve heard from some of our retailers that their grill sales are surprisingly high. The pandemic has forced these specialty retailers to embrace virtual selling and marketing, more outreach over social media, and using new technologies to show consumers their products. We’re also hearing from manufacturers that their factories are operating at full capacity.
This year we launched our inaugural National Back to BBQ Day. This will be an annual event on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. In the future, we’ll be encouraging people to get out and buy that new grill and those cool new accessories, but this year we’re calling for a virtual nationwide cookout. So tomorrow, on National Back to BBQ Day, fire up your grill and join in as we grill together, but apart.
Stay safe and enjoy the start of summer. And please take a few moments to think abut the true meaning of this weekend: the heroes who sacrifice everything to keep us safe.