Vince Hayward is a fourth generation owner and CEO of L.H. Hayward and Company, the New Orleans based business that offers Camellia Brand Beans. Under his leadership, Camellia’s red kidney beans have become the nation’s most loved bean. Once visitors and residents of the city experience Red Beans and Rice, they want to recreate the delicious iconic dish.

This popularity has crystalized national demand for Camellia Red Beans and interest in the company’s full line of dried beans, peas, and lentils. All 18 varieties exceed USDA standards for quality and are non-GMO. Camellia’s growers have even coined a name for their high expectations, the Hayward Standard. The company adopted cellophane bags decades ago to make its quality promise abundantly clear.

There are so many wonderful food memories, as well as historical and cultural anecdotes that surround Red Beans and Rice. The egalitarian dish has fans at every socio-economic level in New Orleans where there is a lively bean culture. There is even a Mardi Gras Parade, the Red Beans Parade, whose participants wear bean festooned costumes.

Being inextricably tied to one of the city’s best known dishes is an honor L.H. Hayward and Company doesn’t take for granted. At camelliabrand.com and on the company’s social media platforms, visitors can experience the brand’s bean culture. In addition to nutritional information, there are recipes, cooking videos, entertaining tips, and spirited blog posts from consumers. The company ships internationally and sells its products online. Camellia Beans are also widely distributed throughout Louisiana, Texas and the Gulf Coast, and more recently throughout Alabama and Florida.