GoKawiilLondon duo turn weekend BBQ side hustle into Black Cactus Barbecue business
Matt Kears and Josh Alcock, former construction worker and electrician, built Black Cactus Barbecue in London after Kears began smoking meat and selling it via WhatsApp during COVID lockdowns. The pair spent years running markets and food festivals on weekends while still working day jobs, using Kears' parents' bungalow as a prep kitchen before eventually quitting their trades to run the business full time. Their menu blends Texas barbecue smoking techniques with flavors drawn from different global cuisines.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The founders' account suggests a growing pattern of tradespeople using social media and informal networks to test food businesses before committing financially, lowering the risk of a full-time launch. Framing the brisket as the draw while diversifying the rest of the menu with global flavors could be a way to differentiate in London's crowded barbecue market, according to the founders.
- Black Cactus began as an informal side gig selling smoked meat over WhatsApp during COVID.
- Founders balanced day jobs in construction and electrical work with weekend barbecue sales for years before going full-time.
- The menu mixes Texas barbecue techniques with flavors from other global cuisines to stand out.
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See Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: entrepreneur.com — Shawn P. Walchef, 2026-10-13
Published there as: “These 2 Friends Quit Their Blue-Collar Jobs to Sell BBQ. They Weren’t Making Money Until They Broke Every Rule About How BBQ Should Taste.”
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