KC Current star midfielder Debinha and Zarda are thrilled to release Thunder Berry, an all-new Raspberry Chipotle sauce!
Thunder Berry – the new Raspberry Chipotle sauce from Zarda!
KC, you’re gonna love it! Thunder Berry’s distinct raspberry chipotle flavor profile pairs perfectly with pulled pork, turkey, chicken – in fact just about all of Zarda’s legendary Ozark hickory smoked BBQ meats. And better yet, the new sauce has an amazing back story and proceeds from its sale go to benefit a fantastic non profit!
Thunder Berry was developed in collaboration with Billy Brimblecom Jr., CEO of nonprofit Steps of Faith, a Kansas City nonprofit charity that helps uninsured and underinsured amputees get the prosthetics they need.
Brimblecom founded the Steps of Faith Foundation in 2013. In 2017, he teamed up with longtime friend (and Ted Lasso star) Jason Sudeikis for an annual charity fundraising variety show known as “Thundergong!”. Both Sudeikis and Brimblecom are drummers – thus the Thundergong! moniker for the fundraising event. Brimblecom had been a touring drummer who relearned his drumbeats thanks to a new prosthetic leg he received after losing a leg to Ewing Sarcoma in 2005 at age 28.
Zarda had catered rehearsal nights for Thundergong! several times over the years and, after learning more about the group’s mission, Zarda COO Terry Hyer reached out to Brimblecom and said he wanted to do more. According to Hyer, “Billy [Brimblecom] and I were brainstorming, one thing led to another, and the idea to create a new BBQ sauce to help benefit Steps of Faith was born.”
Karla Quant – Hy-Vee, Terry Hyer – Zarda Bar-B-Q COO, Debinha – KC Current, and Billy Brimblecom – Steps of Faith.
The soccer tie-in is part Sudeikis/Ted Lasso and part Brimblecom and Hyer’s love for the sport, especially the KC Current. The Thunder Berry sauce was well on its way into development when a chance contact with a KC Current friend led to a connection with KC Current soccer star Debinha. After making contact with her, Hyer said, “Debinha loved the idea of the sauce and its charitable ties and wanted to use her voice to help promote this amazing cause.”
After Debinha came on board, the label for the new Thunder Berry sauce was quickly reimagined with KC Current colors and put into production. Zarda then reached out to long-time retail partner Hy-Vee to test their interest in partnering on the sauce – the answer came back as a resounding “Yes!” Fast forward to today and Thunder Berry is now available in all Kansas City area Hy-Vee locations and Zarda Bar-B-Q locations in Blue Springs and Lenexa.
According to Steps of Faith founder Billy Brimblecom Jr.:
“Thanks to Zarda, Hy-Vee, and Debinha, Kansas Citians can enjoy a delicious new raspberry chipotle barbecue sauce while also helping some truly deserving individuals, as proceeds from the sale of the sauce are going to Steps of Faith! There’s something so fitting about the fact that we are able to launch this Thunder Berry sauce in this amazing new stadium – the first stadium of its kind dedicated to a women’s pro sports team. And soccer is a sport where physical mobility is essential. Steps of Faith restores physical mobility to those without it. What has been created with this stadium has opened up a world of possibilities – and that’s also what we do at Steps of Faith, restore possibilities!”
Debinha of the KC Current
According to KC Current’s Debinha:
“It’s easy to take mobility and the use of one’s legs or arms for granted. To know that proceeds from Thunder Berry will help hundreds of amputees be able to afford regaining the ability to walk – and even run – is fantastic. The sauce is delicious – fans are going to love it. And knowing proceeds are going to such a great cause – Steps of Faith – makes it that much sweeter!“
According to Zarda Bar-B-Q COO, Terry Hyer:
Terry Hyer, COO of Zarda Bar-B-Q and KC Current star midfielder, Debinha.
“We’ve had the chance to work with a lot of great athletes and charities over nearly five decades at Zarda. But Steps of Faith as an organization is one-of-a-kind in the work they do and the joy they bring to those they help – just like the KC Current and Debinha are-one-of-a-kind, bringing a massive amount of joy to the people of Kansas City. Thunder Berry is a great sauce, and we’re incredibly grateful we’re able to launch this with such an amazing collaboration!”
According to Karla Quant of Hy-Vee:
“What is not to love about this collaboration! We are gratified that Hy-Vee is able to offer Zarda’s delicious new Thunder Berry sauce at all 20 metro Hy-Vee stores, with proceeds benefiting Steps of Faith. And having Debinha and the Current be a part of this incredible collaboration is really an honor. We’re excited for the good we can do for this wonderful Kansas City nonprofit!”
Visit Zarda Bar-B-Q Blue Springs or Lenexa and taste the all-new Thunder Berry sauce with your favorite hickory-smoked meats! Or pick up a bottle (or two!) at any KC Hy-Vee location!
