Show-Me® History

Show-Me® Bar-B-Q sauce was first made in a small Missouri kitchen in the late 1960s by professor, veterinarian, and retired Col. Harry H. Berrier. Frustrated with market sauces he felt were "filled with junk" and made cheap with fillers and preservatives, Harry decided to create his own. 

After a few years of making it for a growing number of friends and family, he was convinced to start selling it. In March of 1975, Harry and his beloved wife Lina started Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Sauce, Inc. in the basement of their home outside Columbia. He used his knowledge of chemistry to make the sauce with a pH below 4, a crucial point below which almost no bacteria or harmful pathogens can survive. This means that Show-Me® can be left unrefrigerated for years at room temperature.

The Berriers made the sauce in small batches using household kitchen appliances, then carefully poured it into glass bottles. These bottles were shipped out to anyone who would call or send a letter to their house asking for some of their delicious Bar-B-Q sauce. Local grocery stores gradually stocked it, responding to eager customers hoping to have Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Sauce in their homes. The Berriers turned their whole basement into the factory and office of their small business, which they continued until 2016 with the help of neighborhood kids and family friends, like us.

Harry passed away in 2013, and Lina passed three years later. Today, the Fuhlage family, current owners and long time friends and neighbors of the Berriers, continue their legacy while defining their own. For us, "it’s all about bringing joy to grilling and cooking while sharing quality time with loved ones." President and co-owner of Show-Me®, Enrique Fuhlage, has 20 years of history with the company and started helping the Berriers make and bottle sauce at 14. Him and his family are still on a mission to show people better bbq.

We still make Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Sauce the same way Harry first did all those years ago, sourcing only the finest ingredients from trusted suppliers. While the bottle and label have changed a bit over time, the sauce inside will always be the same. We've since added two new sauces, including Habanero, made with habanero powder, and 'Some Heat,' which uses dehydrated Tabasco®, and five seasonings.

Love of this flavorful midwest staple has spread through mostly word-of-mouth, and we now reach customers in all 50 states, 11 countries, and several military bases around the world.

We hope you enjoy Show-Me® with your friends and family, and thank you for supporting our legacy.

No Refrigeration Required | Gluten-Free | Have a bite n' see