Kelley Bean

What Kelley Bean does

Kelley Bean Co. Inc. is a private, employee-and-family-owned processor and marketer of dry edible beans, headquartered in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Founded in 1927 (tracing to Chester B. Brown Co.) and reorganized under a 1983 Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), the company operates 27 facilities across 9 U.S. states with 230+ employees, positioning itself as one of the largest dry bean originators globally and a Top 5 U.S. retail packager. Leadership is in its fourth generation, currently with Kevin L. Kelley as CEO and Robert L. Kelley Jr. as Chairman; Grant Hinze serves as CFO.

The company processes a broad SKU base spanning 20+ varieties — Pintos, Great Northerns, Blacks, Light and Dark Red Kidneys, Small Reds, Navy, Pink, Mayocoba, Cranberry, White Kidney, Chickpeas/Garbanzos, Blackeye, Green and Yellow Split Peas, Large and Baby Limas, Yellow Popcorn, Pearled Barley, Red Lentils, and Soup Mix. Underlying processing capability rests on a multi-stage pipeline: Triple Clean Processing removes field foreign material; Electric Eye optical sorters use full-spectrum color/reflectivity to reject defects via air jets; gravity filtration and milling segregate by weight and size; and the internally developed P.A.S.S. (Process Assuring Safety and Specification) system enforces GFSI-aligned food safety and quality across every facility. Upstream, seed operations in Idaho hold US Plant Variety Protection certificates on proprietary Great Northern varieties (Andromeda, Aries, Draco, Hydra) developed with ADM Seedwest and university partners.

Commercially, Kelley Bean runs a sales-led, relationship-driven model with regional field personnel providing agronomic advice to growers and dedicated customer-service teams serving business buyers. Revenue is generated through transaction-based sales across five segments: direct supply to canning/food processing, retail packaging under the Brown's Best brand, private-label manufacturing for grocery chains (23+ varieties of beans, peas, lentils, and popcorn), foodservice (notably a prewash product line for restaurants), and wholesale distribution through regional brands (Brown's 98s, Eagle Brand, Idaho Seed, Rose Brand, Yellowstone). Products ship 100% US-grown in bulk (40,000-44,000 lb minimums) through 1lb retail packs, and through export channels including a 2006-reopened Cuba trade relationship. Growth has historically been delivered through acquisitions (15+ deals since 1952, including the 2005 ConAgra dry-bean division and Minnesota bolt-ons in 2024 and 2026).

Name

Kelley Bean

Legal name

Kelley Bean Co. Inc.

Website

https://kelleybean.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kelley Bean Co. is a private, employee-and-family-owned dry edible bean processor founded in 1927 and headquartered in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Operating 27 facilities across 9 U.S. states, the company originates, processes, packages, and markets 20+ bean and legume varieties to canning, retail, foodservice, wholesale, and export customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dry Edible Bean Processing and Distribution

NAICS

Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (42451)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Bean Farming (Kidney, Pinto, Navy, Black, etc.) (AFAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Canned Beans, Legumes & Pulses Manufacturing (AFAKACAC)

Keywords

• Dry bean processing
• Edible bean distribution
• Private label packaging
• Bean seed varieties
• Bulk legume supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottsbluff

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices29 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dry Bean Sales: Primary revenue from processing and selling dry edible beans sourced directly from US grower partnerships. Products sold in various packaging sizes from bulk (full truckload) to 1lb retail bags. Revenue derived from commodity sales with pricing based on market value.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Produces dry beans, peas, lentils, and popcorn under private labels for grocery chains across the country. Over 23 varieties offered for private labeling.
3. Certified Seed Sales: Seed operations in Idaho provide proprietary bean seed varieties to growers for cultivation under control contracts. Company conducts non-genetic single plant selection research to improve agronomic and quality characteristics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kelley Bean processes, markets, and supplies a comprehensive portfolio of dry edible beans, peas, lentils, popcorn, and barley, sourced from US growers and sold through multiple channels including bulk truckload orders, retail packaging, private label manufacturing for grocery chains, wholesale regional brands, foodservice, canning industry supply, and export. The company also produces and sells certified bean seed varieties to growers under control contracts.

Product overview

Kelley Bean Co. is one of the largest originators and marketers of dry edible beans in the world, offering a comprehensive portfolio organized across retail/foodservice brands (Brown's Best, Brown's Best Prewashed), wholesale regional brands (Brown's 98s, Eagle Brand, Idaho Seed, Rose Brand, Yellowstone), and private label programs. Their core products span 20+ bean varieties including Pintos, Great Northerns, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Navy Beans, Pink Beans, Mayocoba, Lentils, Chickpeas/Garbanzos, Lima Beans, and specialty items like Yellow Popcorn and Split Peas. The company also offers a proprietary P.A.S.S. System (Process Assuring Safety and Specification) for food safety and quality assurance, bean seed products for growers, and private label manufacturing for grocery chains. Products are available in various packaging formats from 1lb retail bags to 2,000lb bulk totes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brown's Best: One of the oldest dry bean brands in the USA, available in retail and wholesale.
• Brown's Best Prewashed
• Brown's 98s
• Eagle Brand Beans
• Idaho Seed
• Rose Brand
• Yellowstone

Products and services

• Pinto Beans The most widely produced bean in the U.S., featuring mottled beige and brown skin with solid texture and flavor, used for chili, burritos, and refried beans. Sold in bulk, packaged retail, private label, foodservice, and wholesale formats.
• Great Northern Beans Medium-sized, flat kidney-shaped beans with delicate, slightly nutty flavor, popular in Middle Eastern and European cuisine for dishes like cassoulet. Some Great Northern pricing indicated at $28.00 per cwt for NE/CO/WY region.
• Black Beans Medium to small oval-shaped beans with shiny black skin, popular in the Americas and Caribbean with sweet, mushroom-like flavor and soft texture. Available prewashed for foodservice under Brown's Best Prewashed.
• Light Red Kidney Beans Light red kidney-shaped beans popular in chili, salads, sandwiches, and red beans and rice, especially in the Caribbean region.
• Dark Red Kidney Beans Dark red kidney-shaped beans with full flavor and soft texture that retain shape during long-simmering cooking.
• Small Red Beans Small red beans popular in Caribbean and Central American diets, often eaten with rice, with slightly smoother texture than kidney beans.
• Navy (Pea) Beans Small white beans named for their role in U.S. Navy diet, widely used for Boston baked beans with refined texture perfect for soups and salads.
• Pink Beans Small, oval-shaped beans with pale pink skin, popular in Caribbean countries with smooth, meaty texture and semi-sweet, delicate taste.
• Mayocoba Beans Also known as Canary or Peruano beans, native to Mexico and common in Mexican soups and side dishes, good source of calcium, iron, and potassium.
• Cranberry Beans Medium-sized beans with red speckles and mottled tan skin, preferred in Northern Spain and Italy with creamy texture and earthy flavor.
• White Kidney Beans White kidney-shaped beans for wholesale distribution with quality specifications.
• Chickpeas / Garbanzos Round, medium-sized beige beans with firm texture and nut-like flavor, used in salads, soups, and as flour for Middle Eastern dishes like hummus and falafel.
• Blackeye Beans Beans with full earthy flavor used in soups, salads, side dishes, stews, and casseroles.
• Large Lima Beans Lima beans named after the capital of Peru, packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, popular in the American South and also known as butter beans.
• Baby Lima Beans Milder and less starchy than large lima beans, some exported to Japan where they are cooked, sweetened, and pureed into anko paste for pastries and desserts.
• Lentils (Green and Red) Versatile legume found in traditional dishes of various cultures, commonly used in soups and stews. Red lentil and green lentil varieties available.
• Green and Yellow Split Peas Split peas native to Southwest Asia, one of the oldest-known crops, used in split pea soup and traditional dishes worldwide.
• Yellow Popcorn Naturally low in fat, gluten-free, and non-GMO popcorn product positioned as a health-conscious snack, also available for private label.
• Pearled Barley Wholesale grain product available in bulk and various package sizes for culinary use.
• Soup Mix Pre-mixed soup combination product available in wholesale quantities.
• Bean Seed Products Proprietary and public bean seed varieties sold to commercial growers under cultivation contracts. Includes Great Northern (Andromeda, Aries, Draco, Hydra, Virgo), Pinto (Bill Z, Cowboy, DR Wood, La Paz, Lariat, Max, Monterrey, Montrose, ND Falcon, Othello, Poncho, Quincy, Roughrider, Torreon, USDA Rattler, Windbreaker), Black (Black Bear, Black Beard, Black Tails, Eclipse, GTS 1103), and other varieties.
• Private Label Manufacturing Program Contract manufacturing service that produces dry beans, peas, lentils, and popcorn under grocery chain private label brands. Over 23 varieties offered for private labeling, leveraging Top 5 retail packager status and GFSI-certified P.A.S.S. quality system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97+ years of continuous operation since 1927 with fourth generation leadership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ADM SeedwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADM Seedwest is a partner in proprietary bean seed development including Great Northern Andromeda variety. Collaborative relationship for seed research and development serving grower customers.
• North Dakota State University (NDSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDSU developed proprietary Pinto varieties including Lariat. Partnership for seed development and agronomic research supporting dry bean industry in Northern Plains.
• Colorado State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado State University developed public Pinto varieties (Bill Z, DR Wood) and partners in seed research for Colorado production regions.
• USDA/ARScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA Agricultural Research Service partnered on Pinto Othello (public variety) and licensed USDA Rattler to Kelley Bean Co. Research collaboration for bean variety development.
• University of IdahocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Idaho developed public varieties including Navy UI-537, Pink UI-537, and Small Red UI-239. Seed facility acquisitions in Idaho support proprietary seed operations.
• Michigan State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSU developed proprietary Light Red Kidney Clouseau with resistance to Aphanomyces root rot and Navy Alpena variety. Research partnership for Michigan growing regions.
• Grocery Chain Private Label PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKelley Bean produces private label products (beans, peas, lentils, popcorn) for grocery chains across the country. Over 23 varieties offered under private labeling arrangements.
• Regional Grower PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect partnerships with local US growers across 27 locations in 9 states. Field personnel provide agronomic advice during growing season. 100% US-sourced product from grower community.
• Cooperative ElevatorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoop Elevator developed proprietary Black Bean varieties Black Bear and Black Tails, as well as Navy Blizzard variety. Partnership for variety development and regional distribution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bush Brothers & Company: Family-owned major US canned bean brand (Bush's Best). Competes with Kelley Bean for the same canned-bean private label and branded shelf, and serves overlapping grocery and foodservice customers.
• Seneca Foods: Largest US private label canned fruit and vegetable processor, with bean product lines. Comparable vertically-integrated grower-to-shelf model, serving grocery private label customers.
• Faribault Foods: US canned bean manufacturer (Faribault, brands include S&W Fine Foods and organic lines). Competes for grocery private label contracts and canned bean shelf space.
• Goya Foods: Largest Hispanic food company in the US, dominant in dry and canned beans. Operates origination, processing, and branded/private label distribution across the same retail and foodservice channels Kelley Bean serves.
• Hanover Foods: Family-owned Pennsylvania-based canned vegetable/bean processor. Comparable scale and business model, supplying grocery private label, foodservice, and industrial customers with bean and pulse products.
• Lakeside Foods: Family-owned US canned and frozen vegetable/legume processor with significant private label and foodservice bean business. Closely comparable on operating model and customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• Bonduelle: Global leader in canned and frozen vegetables/legumes. Operates at much larger scale internationally, competing with Kelley Bean in private label, retail, and foodservice canned bean categories.
• Conagra Brands: Large packaged food company that divested its dry bean operations to Kelley Bean in 2005. Remains an adjacent competitor in canned/legume retail categories and a counterparty reference for grocery channel dynamics.
• B&G Foods: Diversified packaged food company that has owned branded bean/legume lines historically (e.g., Green Giant canned vegetables). Overlaps with Kelley Bean on grocery shelf for canned and dry bean categories.

Others

• Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): Global agribusiness and seed development partner (ADM Seedwest) to Kelley Bean for proprietary Great Northern varieties. Comparable as a large-scale crop origination/processing platform, but ADM does not specialize in dry beans retail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kelley Bean