We love a good success story here at CCP and in the realm of food products, you won’t find one more charming than that of Chevalo and Monique Wilsondebriano’s Charleston Gourmet Burger Co.
The couple started out selling their Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. marinade and burgers at the Charleston Farmers Market in 2013. It was a classic family operation. Chevalo worked the grill, Monique handled the cash, their daughters dolled out the napkins. Then in 2015, Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. marinade was picked up by Lowe’s and hit shelves in 580 stores across the nation. Flash to today and you can now find their sauces in Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Costco, Sam’s Club, and Harris Teeter.
Never ones to rest on their laurels, next week the couple doubles down on their growth launching a new frozen cheeseburger line on QVC.
“This has been a dream. It is just crazy,” says Monique of their company’s fast growth. ‘We’re still pinching ourselves.”
According to the couple, their marinade success allowed them to find a partner to do what they’d really planned all along — offer customers a finished burger they could buy at the grocery store.
QVC will debut this product, a pre-marinaded Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. burger char-broiled, fully cooked, and served on a bun, beginning next week. “You just microwave it for 1 minute and 20 seconds and it tastes like the cheeseburger just came off a grill,” says Chevalo.
To create their frozen cheeseburgers, the Wilsondebrianos worked with Old Hickory Farms in Tennessee. The QVC packages will contain 12 burgers and sell for $59.99.
“It will sell on QVC as one of their premium items. This price point may not be for everyone, it’s premium beef steak,” Chevalo says. But Monique adds, “We do have some other retailers coming on later in the year, that will sell smaller packages.”
Not bad for a former New York City Fire Department EMS and a 9/11 first responder and his wife who who had no prior professional food experience before starting their Charleston Gourmet Burger Co.
And this is just the start of their expansion.
“We actually have a whole line, bacon burger, barbecue bacon cheeseburgers, mini sliders. We have literally I don’t even know how many burgers. We’re being mindful when we release them.”
Look for Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. to air on QVC between 4-6 p.m. Stay cool. Support City Paper. City Paper has been bringing the best news, food, arts, music and event coverage to the Holy City since 1997. Support our continued efforts to highlight the best of Charleston with a one-time donation or become a member of the City Paper Club.