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In the KC area the best buy on lump is Best Choice, marketed by Associated Wholesale Grocers. About any store supplied by AG should have it, Price Chopper, Apple Market, etc.
Here is the review from the Naked Whiz's Lump Charcoal Data base -
"It is Royal Oak charcoal packaged for Associated Wholesale Grocers. It can be purchased in the midwest from food shops that are supplied by Associated Warehouse Grocers. The AWG website indicates that there are 850 such markets. There was no scrap wood or funny stuff. It had a good distribution of sizes and not too much chips/dust. The smell was mild and smokey. The charcoal was easy to light, taking 2 sheets of newspaper in our chimney starter test. And check out the price! $4 for 10 pounds! A good value, obviously. All in all this is a great American hardwood charcoal and it gets our Highly Recommended rating."
The #1 rated lump on Naked whiz is Ozark Oak. Royal Oak is rated 30 something. The folks @ Ozark told me that they private label for Best Choice, but I've been told that Best Choice also puts out a south American lump. All S. american products that I've used or read about spark like he!!.
Hasty Bake is also Private labelled Ozark Oak. You can find it @ some of your local specialty stores but it's priced a little higher.
If you want to find an outlet for Ozark Oak, they're listed out of Yellville, Ark.
Other than Old Mexico Mesquite, Ozark Oak is the only thing I use, and I use a lot more of it than I do the Old Mex.
Yea, I fugured as much, but there isn't much market here in lil'ol 'delia. Possibly when spring get's closer. Supplies are very much seasonal around here.