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Paul McIlhenny
the McIlhenny Company of Avery Island, Louisiana
Brad: Paul is now onstage.
Brad presents the speaker with question #10 from Gord:
Paul, can you give us a brief personal background.
Paul McIlhenny: Yeah, I'm a great guy.
Brad presents the speaker with question #9 from Court:
Do you have a favorite type of TABASCO® Sauce?
Paul McIlhenny: TABASCO® is a brand name, not a generic reference to all hot sauces. Naturally, I prefer all of the hot sauces we sell under the TABASCO® brand.
Brad presents the speaker with question #11 from Gord:
I'm sure you are (a great guy), but I was hoping for Where you have worked, are working now, what foods you like to cook?
Paul McIlhenny: I have worked in South Louisiana for over 25 years. I enjoy cooking wild game and grilling outdoors. I split my time between New Orleans and Avery Island.
Brad presents the speaker with question #12 from Coco:
Paul, how many gallons a day do you pack? Is it a hot fill, or does the vinegar/pepper preserve?
Paul McIlhenny: We fill about 500,000 2-oz. bottles each day, 5 days a week. That's about 7,812.5 gallons a day.
Brad presents the speaker with question #13 from Bringier:
Paul, I am Wm Bringier and has the pleasure of talking with you in December about your uncles Walter and John S "Jack".
Paul McIlhenny: Hello and welcome, William.
Brad presents the speaker with question #15 from Spicey:
I heard that lamb that grazes on grass around Mount St. Michel in France is more tender because of the salt in the ground (from the ocean).
Paul McIlhenny: Let's go try it out and see.
Court applauds fervently.
Brad presents the speaker with question #14 from Chip:
Is TABASCO® sold all over the world?
Paul McIlhenny: We eat venison from the slopes of Avery Island, but can't tell any difference. TABASCO® is sold directly to over 120 foreign countries.
Gord: I can personally vouch for Canada.
Paul McIlhenny: We print our cartons and labels in over 19 different languages.
Chip: I saw it in the Cayman Islands.
Brad presents the speaker with question #16 from Spicey:
so are peppers better when they grow on top of salt?
Paul McIlhenny: I suppose so, but most of ours now grow in Latin America.
Brad presents the speaker with question #17 from Bringier:
Do you make a "gift pack" or "sample pack" of TABASCO® Products?
Paul McIlhenny: Yes. We have several via our home page or catalog. Call 1-800-634-9599.
Brad presents the speaker with question #18 from Coco:
How many of the family members work at the company? How many still live on Avery Island? By the by, I used to date Polly Simmons (in New Orleans), and my sister knew Bill Simmons.
Paul McIlhenny: We have two family members working in management and eleven on our board. Most family members come to the Island on weekends and holidays.
Brad presents the speaker with question #19 from Spicey:
where did the name TABASCO® come from?
Paul McIlhenny: It is a toponym that means "land where the soil is humid. It comes from the southern Central American highlands and is of Indian origin.
Brad presents the speaker with question #20 from Bud:
I've heard you're part of a French-singing choral group. How's that going?
Paul McIlhenny: Tres bien, merci!
Brad presents the speaker with question #21 from Bringier:
Shane Bernard sent me an informative EMail about the family history.
Paul McIlhenny: Shane is our archivist/historian, getting his PhD.
Brad: Don't forget Mr Broussard.
Brad presents the speaker with question #23 from Spicey:
parlez vous francais?
Paul McIlhenny: Oui oui.
Court: Please ask your questions by clicking on the red question mark located above the text screen to the left.
Brad presents the speaker with question #24 from Bud:
Are there times when visitors are allowed to join in the pepper harvest?
Hizzoner: I cook with TABASCO® constantly (it helps reduce the heat but leaves the flavor).
Paul McIlhenny: Not really, but then again, if they had a strong constitution, and leather-tough hands.
Paul McIlhenny: Bringier, call me on this.
Brad presents the speaker with question #26 from Bringier:
Paul, thanks & I'll call. Is there still oil production on the island?
Paul McIlhenny: Yes, some, and we've just completed 3-D seismic and have our fingers crossed.
Paul McIlhenny: Spicey, est-ce que vous comprenez francais?
Brad presents the speaker with question #27 from Spicey:
What is your favorite TABASCO® product?
Paul McIlhenny: The old original tried and true.
Brad presents the speaker with question #28 from Bringier:
Great, y'all have been such an example of resource development.
Brad presents the speaker with question #29 from Trent:
Who does your advertising?
Court applauds Bringier fervently.
Paul McIlhenny: DDB Needham in Dallas did our "Mosquito" commercial.
Brad presents the speaker with question #30 from Spicey:
oui, c'est ma deuxiZÿme langue
Paul McIlhenny: Magnifique!
Greg: Are your commercials broadcast nationwide?
Brad presents the speaker with question #31 from Chip:
What are the products that have coming out in the near future?
Trent: Has your habanero version had good reviews?
Paul McIlhenny: We've reformulated our Green Sauce and put it in a green bottle for better shelf life.
Brad presents the speaker with question #32 from Spicey:
/shows off her french
Brad presents the speaker with question #33 from Coco:
When my family moved from Louisiana about ten years ago we brought some quart TABASCO® with us- do you still fill the larger sizes too? Hey, loved the exploding mosquito.
Chip: yeah - the super bowl commercial was hot!
Paul McIlhenny: Yes, our 12-oz is available in some markets and surely through your favorite restaurant.
Brad presents the speaker with question #34 from Hizzoner:
Mr. McIlhenny, What are the most unusual foods that TABASCO® has been used on?
Paul McIlhenny: Salad dressings, pizzas, and even in ice cream if you can believe it.
Brad presents the speaker with question #35 from Greg:
Are your spots broadcast nationwide?
Paul McIlhenny: The Super bowl spot reached 133 million good Americans.
Brad presents the speaker with question #36 from Trent: Has your habanero version had good reviews?
Paul McIlhenny: YES, we get wonderful off-the-wall comments all the time.
Brad presents the speaker with question #37 from Spicey:
I love this web site, one of the best product sites in cyberspace.
Paul McIlhenny: Many thanks, and we even won a National Addy award for it last year.
Brad presents the speaker with question #38 from Bringier:
The mosquito was the highlight of my super bowl! Will you run that nationally any more?
Paul McIlhenny: We hope so, but in the meantime, check it out our web site.
Brad: http://www.TABASCO.com/html/mosquito_intro.html.
Brad presents the speaker with question #39 from Hizzoner:
I cook with TABASCO® constantly( it helps reduce the heat but leaves the flavor). I guess on about everything except deserts.
Trent: Do you host your own web site or does DDB?
Paul McIlhenny: I couldn't agree with you more, except that I use it afterwards at the table also.
Brad presents the speaker with question #41 from Bringier:
When Hale Boggs was Speaker of the House, I saw a 2ft tall TABASCO® bottle on his desk when I was there for a meeting. Hope you have a picture of that!!
Paul McIlhenny: We sure do, and one with Lindy also. Cokie carries a mini bottle in her purse.
Brad presents the speaker with question #40 from Spicey:
Mr. McIlhenny thank you so much for chatting, it's been a real pleasure.
Brad presents the speaker with question #42 from Greg:
TNN broadcast a bit about your race car, and TABASCO® sent up a chef to cook for them. Would you consider doing this around the country, say the Montana State Fair, so more people can taste the difference?
Trent: Speaking of seeing bottles - a restaurant in Tulsa OK has paintings all over the walls about TABASCO®.
Paul McIlhenny: We plan to bring our cajun chef, Lionel Robin, to many Winston Cup races.
Paul McIlhenny: Don't know if we'll have any spare time since NASCAR is almost year round.
Brad presents the speaker with question #43 from Trent: Do you host your own web site or does DDB?
Essanee: I'm probably am a bit late with this comment, but I really liked the mosquito spot.
Paul McIlhenny: We work with Bent Media in New Orleans, but are very involved with managing it.
Brad presents the speaker with question #44 from Coco:
gotta go- great web site- keep up the fun work and keep the heat turned up!
Paul McIlhenny: Many thanks, Coco.
Brad presents the speaker with question #46 from Spicey:
has TABASCO® ever been served at the White House?
Paul McIlhenny: Yes, we have pictures of Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Gore, and Hillary with a bottle on their respective table.
Brad presents the speaker with question #49 from Hizzoner:
How many food products does TABASCO® make?
Paul McIlhenny: We produce four hot sauces, and three meat sauces.
Paul McIlhenny: They are all on our home page.
Brad: In the product truck.
Brad presents the speaker with question #50 from Spicey:
I love McIlhenny Farm® products.
Paul McIlhenny: Some of our new co-branded products match those of the McIlhenny Farms® line.
Brad presents the speaker with question #51 from Bud:
Court. How'd you get that movie so dang small?
Brad: Mosquito Movie.
Court: it took a long time using after effects and premier... data rate is the key.
Brad presents the speaker with question #52 from Spicey:
thank you very much, real pleasure, good bye.
Hizzoner: the mosquito movie was done with mirrors.
Paul McIlhenny: Au revoir et merci beaucoup.
Boone: When are the rest of your products coming to canada, we only have traditional and jalapeño?
Paul McIlhenny: As they say in Cajun Country, "Latche pas la patate"!...hang in there.
Essanee: Did any real mosquitos get hurt?
Brad: Stay tuned for next months speaker - thank y'all for coming.
Court: read about just that online.
Hizzoner: No...the SPCM was there.
Brad: Check out the Mosquito Commercial online.
Brad: Look for Todd Bodine #35 in Daytona on Feb 8th at the Bud Shootout.
Court: http://www.TABASCO.com/html/mosquito_intro.html.
Boone: how often are these chats with Paul? Do you have a variety of guests?
Brad: Thank you Mr McIlhenny for Chatting tonight. We have chats once a month but the chat room is open 24/7.
Brad: Good night y'all.
Chip: thanks paul!
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