Family behind Jack Stack plans massive facility to get more KC barbecue to the masses

A  72,000-square-foot former Walmart in Harrisonville, Missouri, is expected to transform into a hub of barbecue operations — including custom formulation, research and development, production, and distribution — for the family owners behind one of Kansas City’s best-known brands.

Kansas City Hickory Provisions (KCHP) this week announced an early 2027 opening date for the sprawling new facility on North Commercial Street in Harrisonville. The company is an independent business created by the Fiorella-Dorman family ownership group behind Jack Stack Barbecue after 17 years of perfecting its USDA production capabilities at its current site in Alma, Missouri.

Keaton Dorman, president of the KCHP Family Ownership Group

“Seventy years ago, my great-grandpa Russ Fiorella sold his small grocery store to pursue a future in barbecue. That decision changed the course of our family’s story forever,” said Keaton Dorman, president of the KCHP Family Ownership Group. “Now, four generations later, I’m proud to announce our newest chapter: Kansas City Hickory Provisions.”

Its vision is clear, he said: to be the nation’s premier provider of Kansas City-style barbecue.

The Harrisonville facility is licensed to produce branded products on behalf of KCHP’s customers, as well as white label foodservice products. The goal is not to be just another co-packer trying to sell barbecue, the company told Startland, but a premium barbecue brand at scale that aligns with the Dorman family commitment to remarkable quality.

“We are incredibly blessed to continue investing in the community that has supported our family for generations, while bringing remarkable Kansas City barbecue to people across the country,” Dorman said.

Investing in the Harrisonville facility represents a significant expansion of the company’s production capabilities, building on its existing operations to meet growing demand in retail and food service markets nationwide for smoked meats and proteins.

Expanding access to Jack Stack products in retail and club stores is a core part of the strategy, Dorman said.

The KCHP protein portfolio includes such obvious favorites as pulled pork, beef or pork burnt ends, shredded brisket, pulled chicken, and hickory pit beans, as well as lamb ribs, bbq sausage, smoked turkey and hickory smoked chicken wings.

An assortment of restaurant-style proteins and sides from Jack Stack; courtesy photo

The Harrisonville location — situated just south of Jack Stack’s Martin City roots — was chosen deliberately, the company said. The project is set to bring new life to a former Walmart, which was later rehabbed as “Bizarre Bazaar” but has been vacant for more than 15 years, with the potential to bring more than 20 jobs to the local community.

“This is more than a business decision — it’s a community investment,” said Kirk Durham, vice president of retail operations. “We’ve always believed in reinvesting in the people and the places that made Kansas City barbecue what it is. Harrisonville is close to home, and we’re proud to put down roots here and create real economic opportunity for this community.”

The facility is expected to begin full operations in Q1 2027, with new hiring expected to commence in Q4 2026.