Jefferson Parish Pulse: Camellia Brand Beans

This week on the Jefferson Parish Pulse, we interview Vince Hayward, CEO of L.H. Hayward & Company, the packager of Camellia Brand dried beans, peas and lentils. For nearly 100 years, Camellia Brand beans have been used in iconic New Orleans recipes in households all over Jefferson Parish and beyond. The company has deep roots in the community. It was founded in 1923. Over the last 97 years, L.H. Hayward has become a locally famous brand with a reputation for high quality, customer focus and an appreciation for tradition.

On this episode, Vince talked about carrying the torch of the family business, some of the company’s recent acquisitions and the unexpected “bean boom” born out of the COVID0-19 pandemic

Feel free to listen to the full interview below (or you can click here). You can also hear us anywhere you listen to your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. We would LOVE your feedback. Please send your thoughts, questions and show requests to Kelsey Scram at kscram@jedco.org.

ABOUT VINCE HAYWARD

Vince Hayward is deeply steeped in New Orleans culture. His family arrived in the city in the early 1800s and has been making an impact on the community with its locally famous beans ever since.Now CEO of L.H. Hayward & Company, Vince Hayward had the makings of an entrepreneur at an early age. Now, at the head of the family business for the past five years, Hayward has not only sold more beans than any other distributor in the country but upholds a unique cultural cornerstone that knows no bounds of color, creed or economic class. Camellia Brand is close to reaching a century-mark in 2023.

Hayward represents the fourth generation of L.H. Hayward & Company. His childhood memories of the business are mostly of the production side, where his father’s work was focused. He learned the importance of retail sales while working as a manager of the New Orleans K&B drugstore company, before joining the Hayward family business in 1991. His professional introduction to Camellia Brand was as a salesman, driving throughout the region calling on grocery stores and long-term clients.

Hayward’s grandfather had run the business as the owner and his father and uncle led it in partnership. In 2015, with this generation thinking of retirement, it was decided that a more formal corporate leadership was needed; Vince Hayward tossed his hat in the ring and emerged as CEO. His uncle, Ken Hayward, still reports to work every day as senior advisor, and the two have created an intentional corporate entity, which is ready to embrace its second century.

As CEO, Hayward actively promotes the brand, locally, regionally and nationally. Under his lead, Camellia now has a lively, interactive website featuring video-recipes by popular New Orleans chefs and personalities. In 2017, Camellia sponsored the exhibition New Orleans: A Red Bean City at The Southern Food & Beverage Museum. In recent years, the company has been behind Bean Madness, an online contest that takes place in the month of March with competition brackets such as ‘Sweet Bean-teen’ and ‘Final Fork’ that has the region in an all-out frenzy.

Over the course of generations, the Haywards have forged deep bonds with the farmers who grow their beans: in many cases, Vince Hayward is working with the grandchildren of growers who supplied his grandfather. This level of trust and understanding cannot be bought, and only develops with time.

Vince Hayward introduced the modern slogan for Camellia Brand, ‘Gather ‘Round,’ because it speaks to the friendly, communal nature of a pot of beans, and the bond it creates with others. Yet the company’s beans are at the forefront of more than just the comfort-food trend. Another current trend that shines a positive light on Camellia Brand is the growing awareness of food sourcing, especially among young people. Hayward welcomes the powerful momentum of this movement, as his own single-ingredient product can bear any level of scrutiny, and, among growers, commands the highest standard in the industry.

In 2018, L.H. Hayward & Company acquired Gulf Coast Blenders, a New Orleans-based company that produces a wide array of dry ingredient blends and mixes for some of New Orleans’ most famous restaurants. The acquisition of Gulf Coast Blenders was part of L.H. Hayward & Company’s ongoing efforts to expand its legendary portfolio while providing consumers with the highest quality products. For almost 30 years, Gulf Coast Blenders has been dedicated to producing spices, seasonings, and fish and chicken fry mixes in line with traditional New Orleans cuisine, especially in its Creole roots.

Last October, L.H. Hayward & Company again added to its growing portfolio of businesses by acquiring Dagostino Pasta, a Baton Rouge-based company that produces handmade air-dried pastas and small-batch sauces, as well as supplies the finest olive oils, balsamic vinegars and Italian specialties directly from Italy.

Dagostino Pasta has used old world techniques to produce the finest, freshest artisan pasta for almost a century. The family traditions that originated in Sicily are still being adhered to today as a symbol of the company’s commitment to its Italian heritage. Dagostino Pasta is made using only the finest durum wheat (100 percent Semolina), and is air-dried over rods in wooden cellars, just as it was done in Sicily for centuries. Celebrated for its delicate texture and classic flavor, the brand’s pasta is handmade, all-natural and preservative-free.

Additionally, Dagostino Pasta creates one of the most authentic sauces available outside of Italy using timeless family recipes. The sauces are made in small batches with a unique blend of fresh herbs and spices, resulting in a delicate texture and robust flavor.

Vince is heavily engaged with the community. He is a board member of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, World Trade Center of New Orleans, Louisiana Small Business & Entrepreneur Council and a founding member of Vistage Worldwide Group 3918. He is also member of  Thayer Institute for Leadership Counseling and Training and the St. Tammany Exchange Club. Vince is a graduate of Louisiana Economic Development CEO Roundtable and Dialogue on Race-Louisiana.