Charlotte Collaboration Leads to a Frozen Masterpiece of Chocolate, Bacon, Cayenne and Sea Salt
The Queen City is about to be turned on its crown by two Kings.
JJ’s Red Hots, the Charlotte-based Hot Dog King, which recently won its second consecutive Voters’ Choice Best of the Best award from Charlotte Magazine, announced it has teamed with southern popsicle magnate King of Pops to create the ultimate summer treat: JJ’s Red Pop, a finely crafted gourmet popsicle featuring Chocolate, House-Smoked Candied Bacon, Cayenne and Sea Salt.
Beginning today, JJ’s Red Pop will be sold at JJ’s Red Hots two locations in Charlotte, Dilworth and Ballantyne, and at Charlotte King of Pops locations … just look for the cool carts with rainbow umbrellas.
“This ain’t a frozen hot dog on a stick, because you know we Don’t ‘Dis The Dog,” said JJ’s owner and founder Jonathan Luther. “This is collaboration between two of Charlotte’s most unique brands to create a popsi-fudgi-baconsicle that you’ll never forget. It’s sweet, smoky, salty and spicy – all at the same time. These guys at KOP are quite remarkable.”
“King of Pops has been truly fortunate and lucky to have formed such a great partnership with JJ’s Red Hots,” said KOP’s Chief Poperating (that’s not a typo) Officer Brandon DeCurtins. “They are the best at what they do and so are we, so we felt we’d align our teams to make the best possible, genuinely unique product that creatively represents our respective brands and more importantly benefits our and JJ’s customers.”
“JJ’s two-word mission statement is ‘Create Joy,’ and if we have to freeze something and put it on a stick to create joy, we will,” said JJ’s director of marketing and brand development Brandy Newton. “We are having a lot of fun working with King of Pops and know that this is just the beginning of a great relationship.”
JJ’s, which regularly nabs ‘Best Hot Dog in Charlotte’ awards, raised some national eyebrows recently when it made Fast Casual’s 2014 Top 100 Movers & Shakers list. JJ’s, the smallest and youngest brand on the list, is the only Charlotte-based brand and the only Hot Dog/Sausage concept to make the list.
King of Pops has become an industry darling itself, known for its handcrafted popsicles made with seasonal, fresh, natural ingredients and a manufacturing process which is environmentally responsible. It has more than a dozen carts in Atlanta and the Carolinas.
JJ’s Red Hots is the premier purveyor of “hand-crafted” char-grilled hot dogs and sausages in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The restaurant concept is built on solid, hardworking values and is modeled after venerable establishments like Ted’s in Buffalo, NY, Gene and Jude’s in Chicago, and many others. Still, JJ’s is a true American original featuring house-made, scratch prepared sides and toppings served alongside time tested, revered American brands like Tabasco, Weber’s Mustard, Martin’s Rolls, Coca-Cola and Mt. Olive Pickles. Perhaps most proudly, JJ’s Red Hots serves smokehouse hot dogs from Sahlen’s Meat Packing Company in Buffalo, NY. Sahlen’s is a 143 year-old company that remains family owned and operated, and makes, in our opinion, the best hot dogs in the world.
