About Hollie
As a mother of four sons, cooking has always been a central part of my life. I would experiment with a wide variety of recipes, using my boys as taste testers to gather their feedback for improvements. I remember whipping up large batches of sauce, bottling it up, and sharing it with friends and family for their summer barbecues. It brought me joy to see them enjoy the flavors I created!
In March 2017, I made the move to Missouri to be closer to my grandbabies—and, of course, their parents (haha!). It was during this time that I realized Momma's sauce had the potential to reach beyond just friends and family. However, it wasn't until December 2019 that we officially launched 3GenBBQsauce. Just two months later, the pandemic hit, and I found myself questioning my decision. Sourcing supplies and ingredients became a challenge, prompting me to take a step back and focus on developing our website, branding, trademark, and business plans.
By March 2021, I returned to Texas equipped with a website, a brand, a logo, and a trademark! At that point, we had also added Smokey and Honey BBQ sauces to our lineup, bringing our total to three flavors. In May 2021, we introduced Texas Hot Flash. At the time, in my day job—because when starting a microbusiness, having a steady income is crucial—my boss mentioned he loved my sauce but wanted something with a kick. The very next weekend, I hit up HEB, grabbed jalapeños, habaneros, serranos, and other chili peppers, and set to work on a new flavor. I brought this creation to my boss, who told me that once Texas got a taste of it, I wouldn't have time to work for him anymore! I asked him, "So, you liked it?" Today, he enjoys a lifetime supply!
In the spring of 2022, I began renting space at a commercial kitchen, dedicating Sundays to cooking sauce and spending my evenings labeling bottles—one flavor at a time. On Saturdays, I would head to the first store that took a chance on me, Smitty's Meat Market in Tomball, TX, to demo all four flavors. Shortly after this, I was invited to bring our sauces to Jabo's Ace Hardware in Rowlett for another demo. I cooked up a large batch, bottled it in Mason jars, affixed the pricey labels, and made the 3.5-hour drive north! Thanks to a lifelong friend and classmate, Jason Martin, we secured our second store. Suddenly, I was juggling demos between the two locations—two Saturdays a month, driving to Dallas, and steadily gaining momentum and exposure.
Fast forward to 2024, and we’ve made some exciting strides! We found a co-packer, which means no more all-day Sunday cooking marathons! We've also upgraded our bottles and labels, and introduced a Spanish brand, "Tres Generaciones." Thanks to the support of so many wonderful people, our sauces are now available in the entire Jabo's Ace Hardware chain, which includes five stores across the DFW area, as well as in two new meat markets in Waco and Royce City. Additionally, we’re part of a Wholesale Buying group at the Dallas Market Center which has already taken us out of Texas and into Alabama, Ohio and Oklahoma!
We’re hosting demos nearly every weekend, spreading the word about our flavors and brands to even more people. And yes, I’m still on a journey to improve my social media skills (haha)! It's been an incredible ride, and I can't wait to see where this adventure takes us next!