Stephens & Company, LLC is a privately held company committed to enhancing the outdoor cooking experience with innovative products that maximize convenience and flavor. Founded by Michael Stephens, a Richmond, Virginia businessman and inventor, the company began operations producing their innovative new product, CharCones™ in June of 2005. The highly talented team of seasoned veterans expects to expand distribution of CharCones™ and introduce additional products as the company continues to grow.

This is one of those classic ‘there has to be a better way’ tales.

CharCones™ is the brainchild of Michael W. Stephens, a Richmond, Virginia-based inventor, entrepreneur and businessman. He’s been COO of a national service company and Director of Engineering for a large international manufacturer. Stephens also holds 9 US patents.

An enthusiastic outdoor griller, and a diehard charcoal devotee, Stephens became disenchanted with the charcoal products available. Traditional charcoal was slow to light and messy to handle, while ready-to-light products made his burgers taste like lighter fluid. There had to be a better way!

After considerable research and testing, a lot of trial and error (and a lot of puzzled looks from his neighbors), Stephens developed a single-use, pre-packaged container of charcoal that uses paper and wood chips for natural lighting and is shaped into a cone to create a chimney effect for fast, efficient burning. This innovative concept eliminated the need for lighter fluid or other accelerants. It also made the task of lighting charcoal simple, clean, and foolproof. Click here to see CharCones™ in action.

The enthusiastic reception that he got from friends, neighbors, and fellow grillers convinced Stephens that the new, convenient product was indeed marketable and that it filled a big niche in the marketplace. Click here to see what people are saying about CharCones™. So, he assembled a team of seasoned professionals to handle Production, Finance, Sales, and Marketing. In total, this team has over 85 years of senior management experience.

With a strong commitment to quality and customer service, Stephens and Company will be rolling out the CharCones™ product line beginning in June of 2005. Click here for a list of stores currently selling CharCones™.

For more information about CharCones™, please contact us.