Bush's Baked Beans

Bush Brothers and Company is a family-owned corporation best 
known for its Bush's Best brand canned baked beans. The company produces
 approximately 80 percent of the canned baked beans consumed in the 
United States, representing estimated annual sales in excess of $400 
million and the processing of more than 55 million pounds of beans per 
year. In addition, the company also offers other canned beans (black, 
garbanzo, pinto, and refried), as well as peas, hominy, and cut green 
beans. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bush Brothers operates plants in Augusta, Wisconsin and Chestnut Hill, Tennessee. Its canned goods are sold through retail food outlets and food service operators throughout the United States and Canada.
In 1904, A. J. (Andrew Jackson) Bush partnered with the Stokely family to open a tomato cannery in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee.
 His cannery proved so profitable that, by 1908, he was able to buy out 
the Stokelys' interest and establish his own independent business. He 
entered into partnership with his two oldest sons, Fred and Claude, and 
established Bush Brothers & Company.
In 1993, Bush Brothers & Company hired a small advertising company in Atlanta, Georgia
 called Cole, Henderson, Drake (CHD) to develop a new advertising 
campaign for their line of baked beans. The new ad focused on the "secret family recipe",
 and introduced Jay Bush (Condon's son) as the company's spokesperson. 
The ad performed well in test markets in 1993, and was released 
nationally in May 1994.
In the summer 1995, a new ad paired Jay up with a mischievous, 
talking golden retriever named Duke. Modeled after Bush's real-life pet 
golden retriever of the same name at the time (the dog itself 
experienced stage fright and was not properly camera-trained),
 the campaign was created by CHD copywriter David Garzotto and was a 
huge hit for Bush Brothers, who saw a dramatic spike in baked bean 
sales.
 The popularity of the company's baked beans can be directly attributed 
to the success of the Jay Bush and Duke commercials; as well as its 
catchphrase "Roll that beautiful bean footage!" to market their 
products, which are made according to the secret family recipe with 
specially cured bacon, brown sugar,
 and a secret blend of spices. All the while, Jay is able to keep Duke 
from selling the secret family recipe, another running gag in the ads. 
As a result of the ad campaign, the duo became celebrities, and sales of the company's beans increased from a 48% national market share to 80%. The popularity of the commercial inspired the company to publish a children's book, Duke Finds a Home, published in 2006.
In 2012, comedian Julie Klausner
 tweeted a suggestion that Bush Brothers offer a poetry contest, 
allowing the winner to pet Duke, who she had seen in a television 
commercial. The request was reiterated by numerous individuals on 
various social media sites and inspired an informal online petition to 
the company.
On June 27, 2018, Sam, one of the dogs who played Duke on screen,
 was put to sleep after being diagnosed with cancer. The role had 
already been recast several years before his death. US President Barack 
Obama as well as influencer and esteemed songwriter Ray William Johnson 
both made public statements mourning Sam.
The new Bush Visitor Center is an expansion from founder A.J. Bush's original General Store in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, and includes a museum, retail shop and café. It also houses the guarded display of the "Bush's Secret Family Recipe" book.
Category:Restaurants
Category:Food and drink