For 8 Myles founder, Myles Powell, comfort food should be more than just low quality food that you eat when you’re in a hurry. Good comfort food should be made with real quality ingredients. It was for this reason that Myles launched his iconic 8 Myles Mac ‘n Cheese. Now, Myles is looking to expand his philosophy of mixing comfort and quality into the world of BBQ sauces. Yes, BBQ sauces, that thing that makes hamburgers taste even better.
8 Myles, founded in 2018, is one Union Kitchen’s success stories, thanks in large part to its insistence on both quality and convenience. Expanding rapidly since its inception, 8 Myles Mac ‘n Cheese can be found in noticeable stores, such as: Target, Whole Foods Market, Balducci’s/Kings, Giant Delivers, and Union Kitchen. Now, Myles’ new BBQ sauces are available in three flavors: Pineapple Buffalo Sauce, Mango Magic, and Raspberry BBQ, will soon be joining his Mac ‘n Cheese on store shelves.
The idea for 8 Myles BBQ Sauces actually predates his iconic Mac ‘n Cheese. While he graduated with a civil engineering degree, Myles was uninterested in taking the traditional path. Instead, Myles decided to pursue his true passion in food.
“I love a challenge and what’s more challenging then starting and running your own business?” stated Myles.
Myles would unveil his first product, a line of gourmet sauces in March of 2016. Myles would continue to focus on these gourmet sauces for two more years. However, in January of 2018, Myles decided to turn his focus to Mac ‘n Cheese after joining Union Kitchen. This move would prove fruitful as his Mac ‘n Cheese became a run-away success. In the busy modern world, convenience has quickly become a player in the food industry. According to research, the global ready-to-eat meals market was valued around $72 million in 2016 and is expected surge to $146 million by 2023. Needless to say, convenience food is a big market.
With convenience playing such a critical role to so many, it makes sense that 8 Myles ability to combine convenience with high quality was a big hit DC residence So successful was 8 Myles Mac ‘n Cheese that it found itself on store shelves in well-known grocers, such as the aforementioned Target and Whole Foods. Satisfied with the state of his mac ‘n cheese business, Myles is looking to finish his original vision for his BBQ sauce. Of course, this is much easier said than done.
Although Myles’ BBQ sauces found moderate success in his hometown Philadelphia, there was no guarantee that the DC market would also buy the product. Every market is different with its own taste and preferences. Myles had to make sure that he was making something people wanted. To accomplish this, Myles would have to do a ton of research.
To get to know the DC market better, Myles worked closely with local businesses and markets. After introducing himself, Myles would showcase his product and receive feedback about how best to cater his sauces to the DC market. Taking the lessons he learned, Myles was able to cater his business to DC and was able to replicate his previous success because of it. It also helped that the DC food scene is an excellent spot for experimentation and innovation. “The DC food scene embraces creativity,” Myles said in an interview. “And my sauces have a creative twist - made with real fruit”.
Those who might want to try adding a little bit of a fruity twist to their barbeque can find Myles sauces on his website and in Union Kitchen stores.