Skip to main content

Kalle Benallie
ICT

Michael John had an idea in the kitchen.

He worked as a chef for 15 years and always talked about the concept of a southwest-style barbecue sauce. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the Arizona restaurant where John was working closed and he was out of a job.

Although the unfortunate circumstance opened a window for John. He had time to try what he had been thinking. He began making sauces and giving it to friends and family to try.

“I started it, made the first batch of it and it came out great. The second batch, it was perfect. So, then I started coming up with the logos, the labels, all of that, and then it started growing,” the Navajo Nation citizen said.

Navajo Mike’s has been operating in Tempe, Arizona since then.

“If that didn’t happen I don’t even know this would become a thing, honestly. Was it a blessing in disguise? I’m not sure, but I think so,” he said.

The making of the sauces required figuring out the base — commonly tomato — and gathering ingredients like sugars and blends of seasonings. Then you bring it up to temperature, blend it and bottle it.

His favorite sauce that he sells is the “Skoden” that diverts from the traditional tomato base to a mustard base, golden-style sauce. The most popular and fan favorite of his sauces is the “Original” southwest style barbecue. Behind it is the “Diamondback juice” hot sauce that’s in the habanero, Fresno chili style. He offers three other sauces, notably the “Skinwalker Style” spicy southwest barbecue sauce.

He said he sells about 15 to 25 cases a month from vendors and online sales.

He’s also recognized by the Intertribal Agriculture Council as a “Certified Authentic Made/Produced by American Indians.” It’s something that he’s proud of and the opportunities the council has provided like traveling to Chicago and Japan to show his product. 

“The benefits of that is letting people know that this is a Native American product. This is something that is made here and produced and operated by a Native American. It’s all 100 percent me, I don’t have any employees or anything,” John said. “It feels very important and I think it’s good to have on any food product if you’re a Native business because you’re certified. People love seeing that and love to know a Native American company is making that product.”

Scroll to Continue

Read More

Three of Navajo Mike's sauces. (Photo courtesy of Michael John)
(Photo courtesy of Michael John)

Other Indigenous businesses and owners have dabbled in barbecue, hot sauces like Tocabe, which is owned and operated by two Osage men out of Denver. They sell two of Navajo Mike’s sauces and their own Tocabe Huckleberry BBQ Sauce that is made with huckleberries sourced from the Muckleshoot Nation of Washington state. Sakari Farms, a Inupiaq farm and educational business, also sell their own hot sauces with ingredients grown at their farm.

Dave Anderson, Choctaw and Ojibwe, founded the famed barbecue chain Famous Dave’s. He was CEO of the company from 1994 to 1997. Their “Rich & Sassy” barbeque sauce won first place in 1995 at the prestigious American Royal Barbeque Sauce Contest in Kansas City. The website states they have over 700 awards from their products.

Sign up for ICT’s free newsletter.

One of the main places John sells his products is at the Native Art Market in Scottsdale, Arizona, which features over 300 Native small businesses in its “Indoor Market.”

“The Native community love it. The best day I’ve ever had doing a vending event was at a Native American market. I’ve gotten emails and compliments from people loving the product and saying that it’s about time that Natives are starting to do stuff like this…” John said.

His advice for any entrepreneurs is to “take the chance, as scary as it sounds to start a business.”

He envisions having his products all across the country in places like souvenir, casino and museum shops. As well as expanding his products to sell fry bread mixes, dry rubs and a cookbook. 

“I want this to expand where you’ll see this product everywhere — just take off,” he said.

John might release a new sauce at the end of this year and will be releasing the fry bread mix in the fall. 

ICT logo / new ICT logo

Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 contribution today to help ICT carry out its critical mission.