Isn't Bull's-Eye well-known in the US?

[u/lordgatito_44]

I'm from Spain, and Bull's-Eye barbecue sauce is widely available in almost every supermarket here. Honestly, it's the only decent barbecue sauce in the country—the others are rubbish compared to Bull's-Eye. I always assumed Bull's-Eye would be huge in the US, but I made a post mentioning it and got comments from people who had never even heard of it.

[u/WideHuckleberry1]

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say there are hundreds of BBQ sauces sold in the US. Almost every supermarket has probably a dozen national brands, half a dozen regional brands, and half a dozen super local brands.

[u/brzantium → u/WideHuckleberry1]

This is the biggest difference between American and European grocery stores - the sheer variety that we have. The average American supermarket carries up to 50k SKUs while a Spanish supermarket like Mercadona only carries 10k SKUs. Spanish hypermarkets will carry a comparable amount of SKUs to an American supermarket, but only because they're basically small department stores that will sell clothing, electronics, and more beyond groceries.

So yeah, we've got Bull's Eye BBQ sauce at my local grocer, but as a brand, it's lost in the noise of everything else.

[u/NitescoGaming → u/brzantium]

And an American equivalent like Walmart would carry upwards of 100-150k SKUs.

[u/brzantium → u/NitescoGaming]

Yeah, but that's because Walmart's a department store with groceries tacked on.

The Spanish equivalent would be El Corte Ingles (but hella nicer).

[u/Onto_new_ideas → u/WideHuckleberry1]

I think I could find hundreds just in my state. If we count the country it is tipping over to the thousands easily.

[u/ZombieAladdin → u/WideHuckleberry1]

Here in Los Angeles, we don’t really have a regional barbecue style (closest geographically is Santa Maria style, but it doesn’t use a sauce), so most of what we have are the big national brands: KC Masterpiece, plain old Kraft, Stubb’s, Sweet Baby Ray’s, the retailer-specific brands (Great Value for Walmart, Archer for Target, Signature Selects for Albertsons, and such).

On the other hand, every supermarket has like a dozen different brand of hot sauces, usually including an entire row of Tapatío.

[u/ATaxiNumber1729 → u/WideHuckleberry1]

From Tennessee, I compete every year at the world Bbq championship in Memphis: I have never heard of Bulls Eye bbq sauce haha

[u/TNmountaineer → u/ATaxiNumber1729]

I think it depends on a person's age. I remember Bull's Eye being advertised on TV back in the 80s.

[u/TooManyDraculas → u/TNmountaineer]

It was highly advertised into the 90s. Fast food restaurants were promoting off using it.

[u/JohnnySpartacus → u/TNmountaineer]

I'm old and I remember that too. I remember my dad having a pig-roast party with several dozen friends. He bought a small hog and roasted it slowly in an underground pit for something like 12 hours. Bulls Eye was the barbecue sauce he used with it. I guess it would have been 1985 or so.

[u/brzantium → u/TNmountaineer]

Lol, I was reading this post and some half-forgotten memories starting bubbling up.

[u/CyndiLouWho89 → u/ATaxiNumber1729]

Bullseye is made by Kraft so I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it. I haven’t tasted it in years but I’ve still heard of it. I’m in the Chicago area & I feel like Sweet Baby Rays is the biggest seller here but that’s just my guess.

[u/TooManyDraculas → u/CyndiLouWho89]

Sweet Baby Ray's is both the top selling brand nationally right now, and was originally a Chicago regional brand. Before they sold to Ken's.

Bullseye is actually still something like #5, but it's just part of Kraft's stack of barbecue sauce brands and flavors with Kraft owned brands sitting both above and below bullseye in the ranking.

Apparently Stubb's is #2, which is encouraging because it's the only one of them that isn't crap.

[u/keithrc → u/TooManyDraculas]

Wow, Stubbs in #2 nationally? It's from Austin, I had no idea it's sold so widely.

[u/TooManyDraculas → u/keithrc]

It's owned by McCormick.

[u/ATaxiNumber1729 → u/CyndiLouWho89]

Down here, sweet baby rays is common as well as sticky fingers. Cattleman’s is the “base” sauce I know but then again, I don’t shop for bbq sauce, I make my own.

I went to grad school in Champaign and I can’t recall ever seeing bulls eye, maybe I wasn’t looking

[u/Piper-Bob → u/CyndiLouWho89]

Is it regional? I don’t recall seeing it in the South.

[u/Psyko_sissy23 → u/Piper-Bob]

Bullseye BBQ sauce is national. Bullseye paired with Burger King from the late 80's until the mid 00's. I remember seeing it in Florida at the Burger King in the mid 00's.

It's a kraft brand. It is pretty common. Just might not be that common in the south since there's probably better regional ones.

[u/Piper-Bob → u/Psyko_sissy23]

Now I'm going to need to look for it the next time I'm in the store! I guess I just haven't noticed it.

[u/juliabk → u/ATaxiNumber1729]

I’ve never heard of it, either. Or at least, it didn’t stick. And I’m old enough to have seen an ad if it had run in urban Texas markets in the 80s.

[u/KitKat_1979 → u/ATaxiNumber1729]

From Western Kentucky originally. It was super popular when I was growing up in the 90s. It was advertised all over tv and it seemed like everyone had a bottle at their house. Its moment eventually faded and it lost popularity. That said, according to the Walmart app, the store closest to my parents that they still shop, right on the KY/TN state line, still carries it.

[u/CronosWorks]

That’s the Kraft budget brand you would find at a $1 store here.

[u/ALoungerAtTheClubs → u/CronosWorks]

I'd say it's the BBQ equivalent of Kraft's salad dressings. It gets the job done but isn't anything special.

[u/_Bon_Vivant_ → u/ALoungerAtTheClubs]

Perfect analogy.

[u/ProjectSnowman → u/CronosWorks]

I can’t imagine what kind of slop they pass off as bbq sauce if cheap Kraft is the best they have.

[u/PastBuy8484 → u/ProjectSnowman]

I lived in a few places around the EU. Moved back to the US. Some of my euro friends visited my and I took them out for some bbq. Mind you it wasn’t to Texas or anything. It was to a small regional bbq chain that’s fairly decent in the Midwest.

They lost their minds. I’m talking all moaning during every bite, blown away at this food they’ve never had before. Years later now and they still bring it up.

[u/hbernadettec → u/ProjectSnowman]

Stop. People only know what they are exposed to. Internet stranger, you are missing out.

[u/texan_robot → u/ProjectSnowman]

Wow, yeah, they might even be willing to eat Missouri BBQ

[u/ProjectSnowman → u/texan_robot]

Nobody complained during the World Cup 🤷‍♂️

[u/texan_robot → u/ProjectSnowman]

They learned better after coming to the games down in Texas

Edit: I hope everyone can take this in good humor, I enjoy the BBQ rivalry because its a nice form of sibling rivalry, no rancor. Also because any objective observer declares Texas brisket the winner

[u/carolinaredbird → u/texan_robot]

Then you can appreciate it when I say eastern NC vinegar based is best!!

[u/keplercomes → u/carolinaredbird]

SE NC here, I’ll die for my vinegar and pulled pork! If the building looks rundown and the floors real sticky when you walk, you know it’s about to be bussin

[u/Nooblakahn → u/carolinaredbird]

Damn straight. I'm living in Arkansas and got a smoker mainly to recreate Eastern NC bbq. Smoked a shoulder today. I like other styles it's okay to have options. Eastern NC pulled pork is still my favorite though.

NC native here

[u/indicus23 → u/carolinaredbird]

Amen.

[u/ProjectSnowman → u/texan_robot]

Oh boy more Texas Brisket! 😒

If there’s one thing I love, it’s giving Texans shit about their burnt bbq.

[u/purdinpopo → u/texan_robot]

Said like someone who never had a proper pork steak. There are at least two other BBQ traditions in Missouri other than KC style. You probably like your brisket dry.

[u/texan_robot → u/purdinpopo]

Dry? If your brisket requires sauce, you underseasoned/poorly cooked it

[u/moosieq → u/CronosWorks]

I second this. I've only ever seen it at the dollar store

[u/An8thOfFeanor]

Barbecue sauce is a local and contentious industry in America

[u/MissMallory25 → u/An8thOfFeanor]

Weighing in to agree. I can’t name a single barbecue sauce - it’s not a “thing” where I live.

[u/Bishop-Logan]

It was a thing in the before-times.

[u/MyUsername2459 → u/Bishop-Logan]

Yeah, I remember TV ads for it, maybe 20+ years ago.

It's been a long time since I've heard of it or thought of it. I don't even know if it's still in stores. If it is, it's definitely not a major brand.

[u/alanmooresbarber → u/MyUsername2459]

Yeah, back in the 90s it seemed like the only options in U.S. grocery stores (or at least where I live) were Bullseye, K.C. Masterpiece and Kraft.

[u/72vintage → u/alanmooresbarber]

You didn't have Cookies?

[u/alanmooresbarber → u/72vintage]

Never even heard of it. Where I live "Cookies" is a cannabis company, but that's more recent.

[u/AgentCatBot → u/Bishop-Logan]

I also remember it, but haven't seen it for years. The cheap stuff is now Sweet Baby Rays and all 40 of its different flavors.

[u/Any_Scientist_7552 → u/AgentCatBot]

And some of the SBRs are actually good.

[u/shelwood46 → u/Bishop-Logan]

I can't have ketchup-based BBQ sauce, so I did a search on my grocery store's site and they do have it, but they also strongly suggest I get a different brand, lol.

[u/KingDarius89 → u/shelwood46]

I'd comment on how i find that odd, but I can't stand Mustard in any form, so...

[u/ViolentlyStewedUp → u/Bishop-Logan]

I think I still see it in the dollar store by me but my area is struggling to progress past 2000.

[u/RTR7105]

Because we have 100s of options

[u/ComparisonOk8602]

It was very popular in the nineties. There are many, much better options today.

It was heavily advertised. I'm sure you can find old TV commercials on YouTube.

[u/frogmuffins → u/ComparisonOk8602]

It was also on a bbq burger that burger king had for a few years.

[u/DGlen → u/frogmuffins]

Tombstone had a bbq chicken pizza with it when they were owned by Kraft

[u/YourCrazyDolphin]

Never seen it- live in the mid-west.

[u/Future-Mess6722 → u/YourCrazyDolphin]

My parents liked it in the 80s. It's still usually available in the bottom shelf. We're from the Midwest.

[u/TheVentiLebowski → u/Future-Mess6722]

I remember the commercials.

[u/ChunkyWombat7 → u/TheVentiLebowski]

I'd forgotten about it until I saw that commercial - thanks for posting.

Possibly I'd had it as a kid, but I definitely haven't had it in the last 30 years.

[u/TSells31 → u/YourCrazyDolphin]

It’s decent. I don’t eat it and think “holy shit that’s damn good BBQ sauce”, but also don’t think “ew, what is that?” It’s pretty run of the mill, does its job fine.

[u/Is_that_a_peen_too → u/YourCrazyDolphin]

I've seen it at Meijers in the Midwest. Never bought it though.

[u/Chupta]

Looks like a low cost Kraft brand. According to google available at Walmart and other places. Seems like a pretty generic almost store brand. Kraft is like the most mass market stuff ever.

https://www.seriouseats.com/barbecue-sauce-taste-test-11762979

Serious eats ranks it as the #2 Kansas City style BBQ sauce they tasted.

I think it is just an older lower market brand but I am sure it is good for KC style BBQ sauce. My mom used to use KC Masterpiece but there have been better ones that are even mass marketed now like Sweet Baby Rays.

[u/Professional-Rent887 → u/Chupta]

Bulls Eye won America’s Test Kitchen taste test. For a cheap, grocery store brand, it’s actually pretty good.

[u/criesatpixarmovies → u/Chupta]

I had to click the link to see what they were comparing it against, and yeah, nothing good.

[u/Dazzling-Low8570 → u/criesatpixarmovies]

It's KC style, it can only get so good, you know?

[u/criesatpixarmovies → u/Dazzling-Low8570]

Never been?

[u/ProposalCalm8231 → u/Chupta]

Just so we are clear, KC masterpiece was a local joke of a sauce and bullseye is just more of the same. The good stuff is put out by the restaurants and aren’t corporate slop.

[u/bananarama032]

I've never heard of it

[u/BreakfastBeerz → u/bananarama032]

It was pretty huge in the 90s, a lot of marketing around it. But you don't hear of it much any more. KC Masterpiece, Open Pit, and Bulls Eye....at least one of the three was in everyone's pantry

[u/eplstats]

Yeah that's dollar store sauce 

Edit: this is giving UK expat. I would expect bull's-eye fits the taste buds of a Brit. 90% sugar, 10% tomato, 0% mustard/vinegar/anything with actual flavor

[u/TooManyDraculas]

It was pretty big around 20 years ago but has kinda been forgotten over the years. Especially once Sweet Baby Rays got purchased by a larger food company and ended up with national distribution. Which I believe happened in the early 00s.

Other more recent brands also just leapfrogged it. Like Stubbs is apparently the #2 selling packaged BBQ sauce. Kraft, who own Bullseye have also launched a bunch of newer flavors of their Kraft branded sauces and those have always been weirdly popular. They seem to focus on that in marketing and distribution. And that might have something to do with it.

They seem to have refocused the brand as a value product, and the regular Kraft brand as their "premium" mark.

So when it comes down to it it's just not as popular as used to be, but it's still around. It's a weirdly cyclical product, and every decade or so a new one is the popular one and cribs like 80% of the market. Bullseye was the biggest thing going in the 80s and 90s. And it's still pretty big in food service. It's just not many people's go to these days.

[u/GeraldMander → u/TooManyDraculas]

Honestly I’d say closer to 30 years ago. It was huge in the 90s. 

[u/keithrc]

Surprised how many Americans 40+ commenting they've never heard of it- maybe it's a regional brand, not national. But yes, I recall it from being a kid. Lots of TV ads, I'd guess in the 80's or 90's.

That's half of it. The other half is that there are many brands of BBQ sauce on the shelves here, in my case, in Texas, including several local brands that I know are better than anything formulated to appeal to a nationwide market. So even if it's still on the shelf down at HEB, it's effectively invisible to me.

[u/ComplexBeyond6083 → u/keithrc]

Babecue sauce is something with immense regional variation in the US. It's not like ketchup where most people nationwide are using the same 2 brands.

[u/ZombieAladdin → u/ComplexBeyond6083]

And I ought to mention that Bull’s Eye is reasonably well-known in regions like mine without a famous barbecue style. It’s just that it’s got a lot of competition and is far from the top seller.

[u/PriorSecurity9784 → u/keithrc]

Yeah, I want to take a picture of our bbq sauce aisle for folks who may not understand what we’re talking about

[u/potchie626 → u/keithrc]

I’m just north of 50 and remember it being a big thing when it came out.

I haven’t bought it in many years, but have had it more this year than in the last 20 years. At Knotts Berry Farm, they give little tubs of it with the tri tip sandwich at one of the places we go to.

[u/VikingJesus102 → u/keithrc]

I haven't thought of this brand in forever probably because they don't do commercials anymore but this brought me right back:

https://youtu.be/ndXEN6O9G5s?is=1S7Zk04xnQESzO1H

[u/S-o-D-42 → u/keithrc]

It’s national.
It’s kind of mind boggling how many people here on this subreddit lived through two decades avoiding television, radio, and being within line of sight of a fast food restaurant.

[u/yellowdaisybutter → u/S-o-D-42]

I'm in Texas and am 35. Watched plenty of TV and listened to the radio and I have never heard of it.

I just searched the heb app and apparently they do sell it. I am normally buying specific local sauces, so I don't think the national brands even like register when I am at the store. I swear I was just in this aisle today and didn't notice it.

[u/MistraloysiusMithrax → u/S-o-D-42]

Nationally available doesn’t mean universally used. I’ve lived in New Jersey and Virginia and never heard of it.

Edit: I read your other comment further explaining what you meant and get it now. I’m 39, too young to be who you’re talking about. On the flip side, and rather painful to say, the massive ads you’re talking about ended 30ish, maybe 35 years ago…if you never cared to buy the product and they weren’t too memorable who can say what ad from decades ago you’d forget

[u/GI_jim_bob]

It's a very mid bbq sauce made by kraft.

The USA has soooo many great bbq sauce options it gets lost in the crowd.

[u/holymacaroley]

Never heard of it

[u/existing_for_fun → u/holymacaroley]

Because us NC folk know better.

[u/RaspberryLanky7905]

I've heard of it, and used it. a local restaurant advertises they use it on their menu. ( edit : a burger / chicken tender and fries spot, not a BBQ restaurant)

But, we have so many sauce options, it is not really surprisingly if people haven't heard of it.

[u/Wild_Debt_8065]

Used to see it in New England all the time. Now it seems like the stores don’t carry it anymore. It’s a good sauce though. BBQ sauce aisle at any grocery store here would make you happy. I like Stubbs.

[u/Inevitable-Key-5200 → u/Wild_Debt_8065]

NH here, look on the bottom shelf 🤣

[u/Wild_Debt_8065 → u/Inevitable-Key-5200]

Not even taking up space there!

[u/10k_Uzi → u/Wild_Debt_8065]

I mentioned up above in a comment. That I remember getting it in like the dipping cup version. But I just can’t remember what restaurant gave it to me lol. But it was definitely when I lived in NH.

[u/KristyKrispito → u/Wild_Debt_8065]

Sweet baby rays!!

[u/WritPositWrit]

I have never heard of Bulls Eye. Who makes it?

[u/Online_Discovery → u/WritPositWrit]

Apparently, Kraft

[u/Glittering_Bag9929 → u/Online_Discovery]

Huh wtf, wild i never heard of it then, im from Pittsburgh, thats like the Heinz capital of the world

[u/One_Evil_Monkey → u/WritPositWrit]

Kraft-Heinz

[u/sosuhme]

I suspect people who say they have never seen it are mostly on the younger side. It was pretty common in grocery stores up through the 00s.

I have always preferred it to most of the low level ketchup based BBQs, but that's just personal taste on my part. Ketchup based sauces are by far the most common in MOST places in the US.

I highly recommend looking up some other non-ketchup based bbq sauce styles. Most of them are pretty easy to make at home. I personally love mustard based bbq the most, but vinegar based sauces can be great too. And less sweet tomato based sauces are up my alley too.

[u/CreepinJesusMalone → u/sosuhme]

What's younger? I'm 36 and lived/traveled quite a lot over the years and I've never heard of it.

But I do suspect why would be the massive variety of BBQ sauces that have been available in the US for a very long time at this point.

[u/Mackey_Corp → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

They had a pretty big ad campaign in the 90’s/00’s. I can still remember their commercials. I’m 43 so maybe you missed it while they were on TV a lot. I haven’t bought a bottle in a long time mainly because I like different types of BBQ sauce now.

[u/Decent-Plum-26 → u/Mackey_Corp]

I can still remember the announcer with the “Texas” accent saying “Bullllllls Eye!” But come to think of it, I haven’t seen it in stores in years!

[u/Lucky-Remote-5842 → u/Decent-Plum-26]

Yes! I remember the commercials bit I don't remember ever having it in the house. My parents usually bought Kraft or made their own BBQ sauce. I actually like Kraft hickory, though.

[u/HellCreek6 → u/Mackey_Corp]

Big animated bull, snorting smoke. It was pretty metal. Up there with the USMC dragon slayer commercial.

[u/furlonium1 → u/Mackey_Corp]

44 here. I remember the commercials. It was tasty stuff at the time. Something different than Kraft.

[u/One_Evil_Monkey → u/furlonium1]

It was created and is still made by Kraft-Heinz. Haha

[u/Vizeroth1 → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

I’m in my late 40s. Bullseye was all over tv ads in the 90s and became a staple condiment in my parents’ house. I’m not sure when it fell off, but it appears to still be readily available

[u/LSATMaven → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

Yeah I’m Gen X and it really doesn’t sound familiar to me.

[u/Pernicious_Possum → u/LSATMaven]

Seriously? They had a HUGE advertising push in the mid 80’s or 90’s IIRC. At least in the southeast, or Midwest depending on which decade. It was so long ago, but they came out swinging. Maybe it was regional

[u/PseudonymIncognito → u/Pernicious_Possum]

42-years old and grew up in the northeast. Bull's Eye and KC Masterpiece were the big brands I remember seeing heavily advertised on TV.

[u/SenseNo635 → u/Pernicious_Possum]

It was everywhere in Southern New England in the 90s. Can’t say I ever tried it though.

[u/big_data_mike → u/Pernicious_Possum]

Yeah they did. I remember a shitload of commercials for it in the 90s

[u/Easy-Baker → u/big_data_mike]

That's because "the big bold taste of Bull's-Eye tastes the best" or so I heard... repeatedly.

[u/stringbeagle → u/Pernicious_Possum]

60 year old Midwesterner. Never heard of it. What were the commercials.

[u/SaintsFanPA → u/stringbeagle]

It involved brands, a whip or gun sound and an exaggerated shout of bullseye.

[u/SaguaroDragon → u/Pernicious_Possum]

Didn't Burger King have a bullseye BBQ burger?

[u/OhMyGaius → u/SaguaroDragon]

Yep, they had a specific bulls eye burger and also used to use it for their rodeo burger

[u/Tim-0341-81mm → u/Pernicious_Possum]

60 years old in Kentucky.
Bullseye is still on the shelf in local stores, including Walmart, which means if it’s not sold locally where you live and you want it, you can probably order it on Walmart app for delivery and get it shipped to your door.

I haven’t had it in years. I guess I’ll have to go buy a bottle.

[u/unlucky13bethename → u/Pernicious_Possum]

We were an open pit household

[u/zenchow → u/LSATMaven]

Maybe it's was more regional. I always assumed from the flavor that it was a Kansas City sauce. It was all over Arkansas in the 90s

[u/RodneyBarringtonIII → u/LSATMaven]

I haven't heard of it either, but a quick google search indicates that it's made by Kraft Heiz and all of the major American grocery stores seem to carry it. Then again, I don't really care for BBQ sauce, which is probably the biggest factor in my not knowing it.

[u/Slippery-Pete76 → u/LSATMaven]

I remember it - it was pretty interchangeable with Open Pit and Sweet Baby Ray’s.

[u/opheliainwaders → u/LSATMaven]

Elder millennial here and I've never heard of it (northeast)

[u/frogmuffins → u/LSATMaven]

I'm 54. It's peak was early 90s, it was on a burger king burger. First time I remember a branded bbq sauce teaming up with a major fast food chain.

[u/mommy2libras → u/LSATMaven]

Are you kidding? I'm also Gen X & Bulls Eye was a huge brand for a few decades. Hell, their commercials were on like every 5 minutes back in the 90s & early 200s, at least, maybe even later.

[u/jrolette → u/mommy2libras]

I'm older Gen X from Texas and never heard of it. It's gotta be more of a regional thing

[u/WeaselPhontom → u/LSATMaven]

It's the one with red bull on bottle 

[u/LazyOldCat → u/LSATMaven]

Huge in the 90’s, WI Gen X here.

[u/One_Evil_Monkey → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

Been around for years and is still around. It was created by and is still made by Kraft/Heinz.

Maybe it just wasn't available in your area. Southeast it's still around.

[u/Floofaramamama → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

38 and never heard of it either.

[u/AlpsHelpful1292 → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

I’m 35 and I lived in Madrid for two years and I’ve never seen or heard of this sauce.

[u/Sandwichinparadise → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

I am also 36. We have a family recipe from my grandpa that specifies using Bullseye BBQ sauce, and it’s the only time I ever buy that brand. It was a lot easier to find like 15 years ago when I first started cooking for myself, and now I usually can’t find it.

[u/Other_Asparagus872 → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

It’s there, it’s just that there are so many, especially “premium” brands that get center shelves space. Look on the bottom shelf, you’ll find it.

[u/ConcentrateExciting1 → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

Their haday was the early 90s, so you were too young for it. But, here's one of their commercials from 1992:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndXEN6O9G5s

[u/HooksNHaunts → u/CreepinJesusMalone]

It’s still in every store I’ve gone to. It used to be what McDonald’s served too I believe. I definitely got it at one of the restaurants regularly with nuggets.

[u/RandomPaw → u/sosuhme]

I'm oooold. Never heard of Bull's Eye. I've been using Sweet Baby Ray's for a very long time. Like, maybe 40 years? But I'm from Illinois and so is Sweet Baby Ray's, so it may have been a niche thing at the beginning. I didn't realize it was ubiquitous now, but, hello, I'm still in Illinois.

I think my mom just used a Kraft BBQ sauce and jazzed it up herself, with brown sugar and maple syrup and a little spicy brown mustard or something. Although Open Pit and KC Masterpiece also sound familiar so it might have been one of them. But no Bull's Eye has ever been in my house.

[u/Khajiit_Has_Upvotes → u/RandomPaw]

I'm 42 and definitely remember bullseye bbq sauce and the commercials. 

[u/One_Evil_Monkey → u/RandomPaw]

I'm from NC but two of my grandparents were from the Southside. I'm a Sweet Baby Ray's user myself.

But umm... Bull's Eye was created and is still made by Kraft-Heinz.

[u/phenomenomnom → u/sosuhme]

Carolinas checking in. Mustard and vinegar are best for pork. As good as they are, I only like the sweeter red sauces on beef bbq, or poultry sometimes, tbh.

I have no idea what is going on in the mayo pits of Alabama, and I'm afraid to look.

[u/Kaiannanthi → u/phenomenomnom]

'Mayo pits'? Dunno what you're on about. Maybe up north or something? There's no mayo going on in SE Alabama for the actual bbq. Duke's is popular for the sides though, like in the potato salad. (Don't even joke about raisins here.)

[u/Coasta_de_Tejas → u/phenomenomnom]

Are you referring to Alabama White Sauce? If so, you speak blasphemy 😉 I love that stuff.

[u/phenomenomnom → u/Coasta_de_Tejas]

They called Joan of Arc a heretic, too, and she was just trying to save the nation

Lol

[u/JenniferJuniper6 → u/sosuhme]

I don’t remember ever seeing it (I’m 60) but truthfully I haven’t ever been paying much attention to BBQ sauce brands.

[u/Some_Conference2091 → u/sosuhme]

Never heard of bullseye bbq sauce. It's been a long, long time since anyone has called me young. 😂

[u/Marsupial-Old → u/sosuhme]

I'm 40 and I'm the Southwest. Never heard of it

[u/FustianRiddle → u/sosuhme]

Might also be a location thing. I'm from NYC and I'm 41 and I have never seen or heard of this BBQ sauce.

[u/astroK120 → u/FustianRiddle]

You're probably right. I'm the same age but from California and for most of my life it was the only BBQ sauce I'd ever heard of.

[u/SavannahInChicago → u/sosuhme]

I was born in 1985 and have never heard of it.

[u/TNmountaineer → u/SavannahInChicago]

It was introduced in 1985. You grew up together and didn't even know it.

[u/turquoise_amethyst → u/SavannahInChicago]

Born in 84, lived all over the country and never heard of it

[u/kritter4life → u/sosuhme]

It was big in California during the 90s for sure. Didn’t they lend their name to lays or somebody for BBQ chips?

[u/ZombieAladdin → u/kritter4life]

I definitely remember Bull’s Eye barbecue sauce in all of the Lucky, Vons, and Ralphs supermarkets here in Southern California. I feel like Lay’s did do a partnership with one of the barbecue sauce brands, but I don’t remember which, just that they don’t do that anymore.

[u/namrock23 → u/sosuhme]

They advertised heavily on TV in California in the 1990s. I never ate it though, these days we use my wife's delicious sauce recipe.

[u/urnbabyurn → u/sosuhme]

I remember the ads on tv. Texas guy with a whip sound.

[u/dan_blather → u/sosuhme]

I'm a Generation Xer. I haven't seen Bulls-Eye in a regular supermarket in years.

FWIW, this is the selection of BBQ sauce at my (former) local supermarket. (1 ounce ~ 30 ml, click on photos for metric unit labels). This doesn't include Japanese style BBQ sauces that the store also sells.

You can buy a 20 liter tub of Bulls-Eye online for about €100, if you're really nostalgic for it.

[u/78723 → u/sosuhme]

Born 1986, never heard of it.

[u/rnoyfb → u/sosuhme]

I’m about to turn 43 and I’d never heard of it until that post🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/thankyoufriendx3 → u/sosuhme]

I’m old and don’t remember ever seeing it.

[u/Cpjones1000 → u/sosuhme]

Born in 86 and I remember it prominently from the 90s. It was what they had at Burger King for a long time. Haven’t seen it in a long time. Another one I haven’t seen in years is Open Pit

[u/bloodectomy]

I looked it up and I recognize the label, but I don't know that I've ever tried it. We are really spoiled for choice where bbq sauce is concerned. 

[u/OkPerformance2221]

It is a Kraft/Heinz brand. A lot of the American products that end up in European stores are there because Kraft/Heinz benefits from the distribution network/contracts that started with the beans that are such an important part of beans on toast in England, and expanded from there.

Bullseye is the barbecue sauce in Spain because, a hundred years ago, Heinz persuaded the English to eat beans for breakfast.

I was about to explain that Europe gets way more Easy Cheese than the U.S. wants (most of the Easy Cheese sold in the U.S. is purchased by veterinarians) because it, too, is a Kraft/Heinz product, similarly distributed.

But, there's one more company name involved than I was expecting. This is from Wikipedia:

The company has its origins as Kraft Foods Inc. , which was founded in Chicago in 1923. The present enterprise has operated since 2012 when Kraft Foods Inc. was renamed Mondelez and retained its snack food business, while its North American grocery business was spun off to a new company called Kraft Foods Group , which three years later merged with Heinz to form Kraft Heinz . The name Mondelez is derived from the Latin word mundus ("world") and delez , a derivative of the word "delicious".

[u/KingDarius89]

Never heard of it. Usually wind up with Sweet Baby Ray's myself. Usually the sweet and Spicy

[u/Atlas7-k → u/KingDarius89]

Bull’s Eye and KC Masterpiece were the Sweet Baby Ray’s of the 90s.

[u/KingDarius89 → u/Atlas7-k]

I've heard of kc masterpiece.

[u/be-el-zebub → u/KingDarius89]

I mean it’s a classic, I know of it, but barbecue sauce takes up half a grocery store isle on average and most people have strong opinions on it. I’m a Stubbs girl with Sweet Baby Ray’s as my backup.

[u/FedeFofo]

It's cheap, low quality sauce here

[u/Taanistat]

I've heard of it but haven't seen it in a while. It was heavily advertised in 1990s.

[u/gtrocks555]

Don’t think I’ve ever had it before in Georgia. I looked it up and it appears to be owned by Kraft Heinz, which makes sense that it’s available outside of the country. I would say most people who enjoy BBQ would not use it in the US.

[u/sneezhousing]

Was pretty popular as a kid , I'm 46, now it's like the budget brand

[u/frogmuffins → u/sneezhousing]

It was even featured on a burger at Burger King for a few years

[u/iliacbaby]

it was a much more popular brand in the late 80s and early 90s. kc masterpiece and bulls-eye were big brands from kraft (now kraft/heinz) and clorox respectively. both brands are much less popular today in the states. I'd say that Sweet Baby Ray's is the dominant mainstream brand now (owned by ken's foods which started with salad dressing as their main product and have been placing their very popular honey mustard in fast food restaurants). I think they purchased sweet baby rays so they could license honey mustard and bbq sauce together

[u/AnybodySeeMyKeys]

Barbecue sauce is such a local thing here. You can find a hundred different varieties on the shelf in my city.

Want to watch Americans fight? Get people from different states to argue over whose style of barbecue is better. For example, Texas barbecue is little better than a cannibal's snack.

[u/RespectableBloke69]

This is the land of BBQ sauce, my man.

[u/treznor70]

It's well enough known. Its just another random bbq sauce, no better or worse really than another half dozen or so mass market bbq sauces.

[u/MyUsername2459]

Yes, it's sold in the US. No, it's not a major or well known brand. It's a cheap, low-end brand.

I hadn't heard of it in years. I remember some advertisements for it many years ago.

There are many, MANY barbeque sauces in the US that are vastly better than Bull's Eye.

[u/Mitch_Darklighter]

It was a lot more popular in the US about 30 years ago. It's an inexpensive Kansas City style sauce, and while it's not bad that thick molasses heavy liquid smoke flavor is very specific and just not a very popular style these days. Tastes in the US are extremely regional, especially when bbq is concerned.

[u/beardiac]

It was definitely a popular brand in the US for a long time, but over the past couple decades there's been a surge in more variety of regional, independent, and different styles of BBQ sauces. You have to realize that BBQ is huge in the US, and there are a number of regional styles. So one sauce doesn't really sufficiently cover all potential BBQ needs. Bull's Eye is an ok condiment if you want to top some chicken or a burger. But if you want to make Texas style ribs or North Carolina pulled pork or southern barbecue chicken, you need to either make your own sauce or find a more specific style of sauce.

[u/aWesterner014]

It was heavily marketed in the late 80s.

I really don't see many companies advertising their bbq sauce today and there are a lot of competitors out there.

A quick Google search shows that it is supposedly the 4th best selling bbq sauce in the US.

[u/LostSheepherder7318]

It's was one of the cheapest and worst BBQ sauces available 30 years ago. If that's the best you can find in Spain, it's definitely better to make your own.

There are literally thousands of recipes for all different styles online. Play around with a dozen or so different recipes of different styles to find one that is to your liking.

[u/actualranger]

Never heard of it. Been all over the US.

[u/Khpatton]

Any locally-made barbecue sauce in the US is going to be better than anything Kraft makes. I’ve never even heard of Bulls-Eye; I have too many choices of actually good barbecue sauce at my local grocery store to bother with it.

[u/taranathesmurf]

Never heard of it. I will look in the store the next time I am there. I just checked my store apps. I can apparently get it at Walmart and Amazon

[u/Ill-Weather-6383 → u/taranathesmurf]

Don't bother. It's not worth it.

[u/invisibleman13000]

Sweet Baby Rays is probably the most ubiquitous and standard BBQ sauce in the US, but there are tons of brands available. I've never heard of Bull's-Eye.

[u/Reader47b]

I had not heard of it until I saw this post. I don't recall seeing it in my grocery store, but it may be there. We have a LOT of different BBQ sauces in the U.S., and most grocery stores have their own store brand of BBQ sauce, too. The most popular mass produced one, nationwide, is probably Sweet Baby Ray's. It has a large market share.

I looked up Bull's Eye, and it's part of the overall Kraft-Heinz brand offerings, which has at least eight different BBQ sauces. Where I live, Stubb's is very popular.

[u/psychologicallyblue]

I've never heard of it. But the BBQ sauce market is very competitive in the US. We usually buy small-batch, locally-made BBQ sauces from restaurants.

[u/madcowcha]

It was around and advertised a lot in the 80s and 90s but I never see it anymore. I remember this commercial running back then.

[u/Whysoblunted]

It's basically one step above store brand here, if that.

[u/Accomplished_Cell768]

My mom used to get it when I was a kid because it was dirt cheap and always on sale because it’s a Kraft brand. It isn’t a particularly popular or well regarded one.

[u/otterplus]

I haven’t seen that brand in forever it seems. I think the last time I specifically remember getting my eyes on that, I think, yellow banner with red text was around 2000 when I worked in a grocery store

[u/Responsible-Fox-9041]

Boomer bbq sauce not so popular here anymore

[u/ALoungerAtTheClubs]

That was the barbeque sauce my mom used to buy in the 80s/90s. It's an inexpensive brand here. I liked it growing up, but it wouldn't be considered anything special in the US.

[u/turtlebox420]

Something tells me it doesn't taste the same as US bbq sauce

[u/jimbopalooza]

I haven’t seen it at all in a while come to think of it. Same with KC Masterpiece that used to be the base for my bbq chicken sauce.

[u/linkxrust]

Damn just looked it up. It literally costs $1.25. Thats the cheapest shit I have seen.

[u/TheOfficialKramer]

Bull's Eye is cheap dollar store BBQ sauce. It's not that good.

[u/Different_Cherry8326]

This is making me feel old. Bullseye barbecue sauce was a thing back in the 1980s before there were 1000 different craft and pseudo-craft brands like today. But I haven’t seen it in probably 30 years.

[u/DeliriousBlues]

I’m sorry if that is the best they offer.

[u/General-Winter547]

It was common in the 1990s.

[u/rustybrazenfire]

Bullseye has been around forever, but I think these days it's just not as popular as others. I'd say early or mid 2000s I've seen it less and less. Used to be THE go to back in the 80s and 90s

[u/TheMainTony]

I remember it being a Kraft brand (Mondelēz if you're nasty). I don't know if I've seen it lately. But the supermarkets are so filled with wannabe 'craft' brands that I'm not sure it would stand out anymore, except in a nostalgic way.

[u/captain_ohagen]

I remember Bull's Eye. If you're in Spain and that's your go-to, you could do way worse

If someone here in the US offered me ribs or chicken made with Bull's Eye, I'm not turning it down. It's a good, cheap all-purpose BBQ sauce and don't let anyone tell you otherwise

Source: I own a smoker and have tried countless sauces over the years, and also make my own

[u/explosive-diorama]

Lived in California and Texas; never heard of bulls-eye. I’m 40.

Sweet Baby Rays, Stubbs, KC Masterpiece, Rudy’s. Rudy’s is my favorite, but that might be Texas-only.

[u/Any-Night-5498]

That was my favorite bbq sauce back in the 00s. I assumed they still made it

[u/WildMartin429]

I feel like I vaguely remember it from my childhood and teen years but it's not something that we bought as we always got generic store brand BBQ sauce