651-739-0161
About Greater American Ribs
Greater American Ribs is a family owned and operated business, located in Woodbury, Minnesota.
The company was founded in 1994 by two brothers, Rick and Gregg Mahmood. They were soon joined by Rick’s son Ricky.
Along with their spouses, sons, daughters, nephews and nieces the family has always been there to help over the years. None have been more important than Angie Mahmood, mother to Rick and Gregg. Better known to everyone including customers as “Grandma”, she worked the cash and carry store at Greater American Ribs. She held that job from the start of the company till she passed away in 2009; she will be sadly missed by all.
Gregg had a background in food service, sales and manufacturing. His brother Rick and his son Ricky were in the restaurant business, where barbecued ribs were a featured item on their menus.
Like so many American success stories, it all started with their mothers Barbecue Sauce recipe. The origin of that sauce dates back to 1941, when their mother Angie “Grandma”, drove from Minnesota to North Carolina, to see her husband off to WWII. While there, using many of the local flavors, she started making her Barbecue Ribs for the service men and women.
When the war ended thankfully her husband returned and they started a family. She continued to make that same Barbecued Sauce for them, never changing the recipe. Years later they converted an old refrigerator into a smokehouse and would hold Barbecues for friends, family and many of the veterans they knew. It became a well known tradition in the area.
Years later Rick opened a restaurant called the Pine Grove Inn, located in Lakeland, Minnesota. People came from near and far, for those same Barbecued Ribs. A few years later he opened a second restaurant called C.C.Richards, located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The Barbecued Ribs became so popular he had to open a To Go Chicken and Ribs location, just to keep up.
Gregg had a small USDA meat manufacturing plant that was selling to the food service industry. The two of them teamed up to try and sell the Barbecue Ribs wholesale. They retooled the plant to USDA specs, and produced their first batch of Ribs (All 25 LBS. of them). Those ribs took one week to sell; they were so excited they actually cooked a 50 LB. batch next. It looked like it was going to work. Rick sold his restaurants and brought in his son Ricky, who became a partner and helped build the new business. Presently Greater American Ribs produces on average 80,000 LBS. of Barbecued Ribs a week. They have also branched off into Barbecued Shredded Pork and Chicken, of course using that same Barbecue Sauce Recipe Grandma Angie created almost 70 years ago.
1850 Weir Drive - Woodbury, MN - 55125
NEW Hours: Mon - Fri 10:30 am to 5:30 pm CLOSED SAT & SUN
