Kona's Quest for a Better Grill Mat: A Story of Innovation and Quality

Most grilling talk focuses on the fun stuff: the recipes, the technique, the flavors. But behind a good cook is the gear that makes it work, and for us that piece of gear is the grill mat. Not just any grill mat, though. The story of Kona BBQ Store really starts with one man's frustration over a bad one.

The origin story

Jamie Harris, our co-founder, was a senior scientist in corporate America when he first tried a grill mat. Like a lot of people, he was sold on the promise: a mat that makes grilling easier, cleaner, and more convenient. It sounded too good to be true, and in his case it was.

The mat he bought was poorly made and didn't do any of the things it claimed. Instead of shrugging it off, Jamie saw an opening. He asked himself a simple question: what if someone made a grill mat that actually did what it promised? That question is where Kona BBQ Store began.

The birth of the product

With his science background, Jamie went at the problem like an engineer. He used a research lab to test materials and designs until he had a mat he was happy with. When it came time to manufacture it, factories pushed back and told him nobody made mats the way he wanted. His answer summed up how we still operate: "That's exactly why I want it made this way."

The Kona difference

Our grill mat reflects how we think about quality and design. It holds up to high heat, has strong non-stick properties, and is built to last, all the things missing from the mats that disappointed Jamie in the first place. More than that, it does what we say it does, which makes grilling both easier and more enjoyable.

The mat has been featured by a number of outlets over the years, including CNN, the Today Show, and Good Housekeeping.

Where we stand

Getting the grill mat right wasn't simple, but it was never only about a product. It's about making your time at the grill better, spotting a problem and having the nerve to fix it. And it's about sticking to what we care about: integrity, under-promising and over-delivering, and treating customers like friends.

At Kona we believe in the power of a good cookout, the joy it brings, the people it pulls together, and the memories it makes. We'll keep working on our gear so you can trust Kona every time you fire up the grill.