Listen

Hear the latest episodes

Watch

See the latest videos

Read

Browse the latest content

Pitch The Tide – Justin Andrews and Darren Spicer: Co-Founders Cowboy Mud

In This Episode

Interview Takeaways

  • Brand Is the Differentiator, Not Just the Product – Cowboy Mud is not trying to win by being another spice on the shelf. From the dip can packaging to the coffee infusion to Justin Andrews’ country music roots, the product is built around identity. The biggest opportunity is leaning fully into that story and lifestyle, making the brand as memorable as the flavor.
  • Content and Community Will Drive Growth – The strongest feedback from the room centered on content. Not polished ads, but real, rugged storytelling. Cooking videos, behind-the-scenes building, user-generated recipes, and collaborations with pitmasters and creators will create awareness faster than traditional retail expansion. The path to scale starts with attention.
  • Distribution Needs to Match the Audience – There are two clear lanes. Direct-to-consumer for accessibility and discovery, and larger format packaging for professionals like caterers and pitmasters. Making the product easy to buy, easy to try, and available in the right sizes will be critical to turning interest into repeat usage and long-term growth.

In this Pitch the Tide session, Darren Spicer and Justin Andrews introduce Cowboy Mud, a coffee-infused barbecue rub built from a third-generation family recipe and designed to stand out both on the shelf and in the wild. Packaged in a distinctive dip can for portability and brand identity, Cowboy Mud blends premium ingredients like Hawaiian sea salt and specialty coffee to create a versatile seasoning that works across proteins, vegetables, and even unexpected applications like popcorn and cocktails. Positioned as more than just a spice, the brand aims to live at the intersection of food, lifestyle, and storytelling.

Listen to the replay of this session and follow Cali BBQ Media to join future rooms, pitch your company, and learn from the community.

Every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET, Shawn P. Walchef hosts Pitch the Tide live.

Listen To This Episode

About Cali BBQ Media

Digital Hospitality is an interview-based video podcast hosted by business owner Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) and produced by his Cali BBQ Media company. The weekly digital series explores the ways successful businesses and entrepreneurs have merged old and new with innovative digital strategies that harness the power of the Internet and social media. Shawn is the founder of Cali BBQ Media and creator of the Restaurant Influencers podcast on Entrepreneur Media.

Join our Newsletter

Be the Show, Not the Commercial

Tell your story, share your mission, build stronger connections. See how the Cali BBQ Media team can help your business grow through the power of your own story. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *