A longtime Santa Maria Valley cattle ranching family, the Minettis opened the Far Western Tavern in 1958. Among the dishes served at the restaurant was a humble side of savory beans, carefully spiced and cooked to tender perfection.
Called pinquitos (a Spanglish-sounding name suggesting a combination of “pink” and “little”), these diminutive legumes became an integral component of Santa Maria-style barbecue. Far from ordinary, they represent a regional original that has helped put Santa Maria Valley on the world’s culinary map.
In 1981, the Minettis’ daughter, Susan Minetti Righetti, began packaging and selling the little beans—along with her mother’s recipe—in the restaurant. After polling family and friends, she came up with the brand name “Susie Q’s” and proceeded to create a line of products coveted by every lover and practitioner of California’s signature barbecue.
“We were marketing the pinquitos and thinking of a name like ‘Cowboy Beans,’” Minetti explained, “but two or three people came back with the Susie Q’s concept. It just worked graphically, and we went with it.
“It’s become synonymous with Santa Maria-style barbecue,” she continued, “and our seasoning has become synonymous with the barbecue, too. When we picked the name, it was just for the beans, and it’s interesting to see how it all evolved and how it does fit with barbecue products.”
Celebrating 30 years in business, Righetti and her daughter, Renee Fowler, who runs the day-to-day operations at Susie Q’s Brand, continue to employ local growers and production facilities.
“We use co-packers,” Righetti said. “It’s something we’ve always done. It gives us the opportunity to concentrate on the marketing and distribution, and takes that technical side away from us, as well as the infrastructure that goes with that.
“I love working from the ranch,” she added, “and that wouldn’t be possible with the large factory it would take. We let them do what they do best, and we do what we do best.”
Righetti estimated that her company sells tons of pinquito beans—literally—each year. The crop isn’t grown commercially outside of the Santa Maria Valley. She ships them and her other products—ranging from salsa, to seasoning, to pie mix—across the United States and as far away as Europe and Asia.
A large portion of foreign shipments go to U.S. nationals living abroad and barbecue-lovers serving in the military, as well as to friends of the Righettis.
“In our travels, we’ve always made sure we left some behind,” Righetti laughed. “We’ve had people re-order from Italy and Switzerland, places like that. Once they’ve used it, they’ve really enjoyed it.”
Keeping up with the global demand for Santa Maria-style goodies, Righetti continues to develop new products for Susie Q’s Brand. She’s currently test marketing seasoning blends—including one for fish—based on her original recipe and enhanced with other flavors.
“Barbecue stores are really popular now,” she said, “and we’ve picked up a lot of accounts where buyers are bringing in different regional cuisines. Of course, Santa Maria-style barbecue is really important. It is California’s cuisine as far as the grill goes, I think.”
Righetti favors Pinot Noir and Syrah for pairing with the cuisine’s signature beef, beans, garlic bread, and salsa, and she credits the local wine industry for helping to showcase the sensory wonders of Santa Maria-style barbecue
“When we started Susie Q’s, that whole wine thing hadn’t really started yet,” she said, “and it’s a great complement. I think that’s been a big factor in promoting the cuisine, because it’s brought so many foodies into the area who are paying attention to what we’re doing here.”
Having spent 30 years at the helm of Susie Q’s Brand, Righetti happily shares company duties with her daughter, who has worked with her mother for years.
“That’s the way we were raised,” she explained. “I always worked alongside my dad and mom at the Far Western. That’s what they expected of us, and I guess we expect the same of the next generation. It’s a given; you don’t second guess it, you just do it.”
In honor of the 30th anniversary of Susie Q’s Brand, Righetti wants to thank the community and loyal customers who have supported her company over the years.
“They’ve helped spread the word about Susie Q’s,” she admitted. “We’ve never had a big advertising budget, so it’s been word of mouth. It’s not the fastest way, but it’s definitely the most reliable. To get the endorsement of the customers over and over again and to have people looking for your brand, that’s what’s made Susie Q’s such a success.”
The Sun totally endorses K. Reka Badger in all her culinary discoveries. Contact her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 4, 2011.