The following is pictures and stories about past "Grillzilla" events...............
Grillzilla
2009 was the 8th year for Thriller On The Griller
Over $50,000 was raised for Children's
Miracle Network. Joe Stock, Director of Operations, for Food Lion is the "spark plug" for this event. It is on Joe's heart to raise more money each year for the kids. He is tireless in his efforts making sure the goal is reached each year.
How was “Thriller on the Griller” started?
By accident! I was promoting John Boy and Billy’s Grilling Sauce using several Big Show Grills to cook food in front of grocery stores as a way to sample the Grilling Sauce. I spent 50% of my time doing these events myself because they were effective in getting new people to the brand and it gave John Boy something to talk about on the Big Show. By doing these events I also stayed in very close contact with my customer base. This helped me plan marketing for the brand based on consumer feedback. I also just like to cook on the grill and make people happy. It was the best job I ever had!
Anyway, I took a grill to Wilmington for an unplanned visit. I was looking for a fun place to go. I pulled into a Food Lion and introduced myself to the store manager. I asked permission to cook some “free” wings in the parking lot and sample the JB&B Grilling Sauces. Not a hard sell!
During the course of my parking lot show I noticed a man watching me. Now it was not out of the ordinary for the grill to attract spectators but this guy was not there by accident. Soon he walked over to me and said”when you are finished come back to my office I want to talk to you”. I asked the store manager who he was and was told that was Joe Stock, Regional Operations Manager for Food Lion. OK, I figured I was in for an ass chewing for something I had done in the parking lot. Most upper management of grocery chains are not very creative and somehow can find fault with a fat guy cooking free wings (believe it or not).
I took a deep breath and knocked on the office door. A voice from inside said “come in”. That was the beginning of a lasting friendship with a man I have a lot of respect for.
Joe Stock is a unique person. He is a leader with an unbelievable level of energy and genuine love for the grocery business. What he said was music to my ears. “I really liked what you were doing out front. How can we do more of it at my stores?” For a guy like me that likes “parking lot marketing” I had met the right person!
I told Joe we could do anything that our brains could dream up. He wanted a way to inject consumer excitement at his Food Lion stores, motivate his employees, and raise money for Chrildren’s Miracle Network. I told him we could do a “Big Show Grill tour” supported by John Boy and Billy on the radio and go to any of his stores he needed us to. Joe then came up with the tour name “Thriller On The Griller”.
Year one we started with The Big Show Grill and maybe two other companies. Each year it has grown. I took on the responsibility to make each year different by adding something new. As the years went by we had race cars and drivers, Big Tom from the Survivor show, the silent auction, and more vendor partners. We also got our local John Boy and Billy affiliate stations involved for live radio remotes at each store.
Thriller On The Griller has proven to be a marketing success because of Joe Stock. The event out lived my distribution with Food Lion. I am looking forward to participating in 2009 (after missing the past three years) by taking Lancaster’s Barbecue on the tour.
Joe Stock, Operations Manager for Food Lion, working on the
Thriller On The Griller