THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, July 6, 1995                 TAG: 9507010092
SECTION: FLAVOR                   PAGE: F1   EDITION: FINAL 
COLUMN: MORSELS
SOURCE: RUTH FANTASIA
                                             LENGTH: Short :   38 lines

BBQ SAUCE IS A HIT, WITH VERY SPUNKY SALES TO BOOT

UNCLE SPUNKEY could be the life of your next party.

No, he's not the jovial brother of your mother, but he is sauced. Barbecue sauce to be exact.

Stainbrook Enterprises in Virginia Beach makes the line of Uncle Spunkey sauces, and lately the little company's sales have been heating up. It's also raked in some awards.

Uncle Spunkey's BBQ Blast took top honors in the sauce category and second place in the chicken cooking category at the recent Nation's Capital Barbecue Battle in Washington, D.C. About 40 companies competed. Last year, the sauce claimed fourth place in the American Royal International Barbecue Sauce Contest in Kansas City, Mo.

The company's motto: ``Don't just have a barbecue, have a blast.''

Though they've only been on the market for two years, Uncle Spunkey sauces are in grocery, specialty and discount stores in seven states. Look for the original BBQ Blast, Mega Blast, Sissy Sauce and Ocean Potion.

Mega Blast contains habaneros, the hottest of peppers. Ocean Potion is for barbecuing seafood. Sissy Sauce is a honey- and brown sugar-based barbecue sauce with a dash of bourbon.

A 10-ounce bottle costs about $2.50. Gift sets that include all four sauces, a miniature picnic table and salt-and-pepper shakers cost $18.95. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

JIM WALKER/Staff

A gift set includes all four Uncle Spunkey barbecue sauces.

by CNB