Grandma Brown's Baked Beans

Grandma Brown's Baked Beans

Product type	Canned beans
Introduced	1937
Markets	Central New York

Grandma Brown's Baked Beans, also known as simply Grandma Brown Beans, was a brand name of canned baked beans that was founded by Grandma Lulu Brown in 1937.

History

Lulu Manwring Brown was born in Dansville, NY, in 1875. She attended Mexico Academy after her family moved to Mexico. She taught in local country schools and married Earl L. Brown in 1896.

Mrs. Brown’s baked beans were always a favorite at the church suppers and other community affairs. In 1937, Mrs. Brown decided to try to sell her baked beans to supplement the family income. The local grocery stores agreed to display pans of beans and began to see the product by the pound. And so, Mrs. Brown, at the age of 63, began her successful career in the business world.

The business began using two oil-burning stoves in the kitchen behind Mrs. Brown’s dress shop. Her husband and son, Robert, were soon involved with the business. They began delivering the beans not only in Mexico but going to Oswego as well.

Earl Brown died unexpectedly on Christmas day 1938, before the end of the first year of the business. Mrs. Brown found the inner strength to continue with her growing business. At this time Richard Whitney joined the firm and BWB Foods, Inc. was formed. The successful partnership soon covered 75 mile radius, and then a 100-mile radius. The two stoves increased to 18 and the business moved to the second floor of what is now the public library. More people were hired to drive trucks and to help Mrs. Brown with the baking.

The biggest problem facing the young company was the spoilage. Together the three members of BWB Foods worked to find a way to put the special beans in cans. By 1947 the problems were resolved and Grandma Brown’s Home Banked Beans appeared in cans. This meant the selling area could be greatly increased and could now be carried into neighboring states. In 1947 the present large modern plant was built. As Mrs. Brown advanced in years and the business grew, she turned more of the work over to her family in the bean kitchen. She had earned the respect of the community and when she died in August 1950, at the age of 75, all businesses and stores closed during the funeral services, paying a final tribute to this fine lady.

In 1937, Grandma Lulu Brown made large pots of baked beans during the Great Depression to be sold at local grocery stores. However, these beans were so popular that Lulu and Earl Brown, her husband, decided to expand to Oswego, New York.

Over the years, the company was then known as Brown Whitney Brown (BWB), when Earl Brown died, Richard Whitney joined the company, and soon after, a plant was established in Mexico, New York to process the large quantities of the beans.