This Home Improvement Chain Unexpectedly Sells BBQ Seasoning And Sauces

There are many different barbecue styles across America, ranging from Texas to Memphis to California, and more. No matter which kind you like to make, you need the right equipment. Whether it's long tongs, a grill brush, a meat thermometer, or the grill itself, Home Depot is the perfect place to find them. More unexpectedly, though, the home improvement chain also sells barbecue sauces, seasonings, and dry rubs for grilled food.

While it might initially be surprising, it makes sense. Anyone old enough to have gone to a Blockbuster remembers that even though it was a video rental store, it also sold popcorn and movie theater-style candy and treats to eat while watching a movie. It also makes business sense for both the company, which gets revenue from a new type of inventory, and the producers, who get exposure in the chain's more than 2,000 stores.

Home Depot is selling products from brands like Blackstone, Traeger, and Weber. Several smaller producers also announced deals in the first half of 2026 to appear in its stores, including Kendrick BBQ, Plowboys BBQ, Three Little Pigs, Blazing Star, and Sweet Rub O' Mine. It should be noted that these aren't Home Depot's first edible items. It also sells candy, chocolate, and beverages like soda, coffee, and energy drinks.

Home Depot isn't the only home improvement chain doing this, as Ace Hardware and Lowe's also sell barbecue food products. Ace even launched its own line in 2024 with two barbecue sauces and five seasonings with names like Boom Shaka Laka Apple Habanero BBQ Sauce and That's Poppin' Savory Blend BBQ Rub. It introduced them under a new private label called Loud Mouth, its first in-house food brand.

However, not everyone is convinced. As one Reddit user wrote, "I don't buy lumber from a grocery store and I sure as s*** am not eating anything from a hardware store." Many commenters disagreed, though, with one user writing that the Ace Hardware in their area offered an "[incredible] variety of rubs and sauces and trinkets and gadgets. Yes. Love it."

Meanwhile, Home Depot is staying involved in the barbecue world. It set up an outdoor kitchen at the 2026 Memphis in May International Festival for the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. It held food demonstrations, shared information on new grilling equipment and barbecue accesories, methods, and sauces, and gave out samples at the event, which it also helped sponsor.