Mainers worked at the B and made world-champion baked beans for more than 150 years.
B&M Baked Beans have been a staple of New England pantries for over 150 years. But now, the iconic brand is leaving its longtime Portland, Maine factory and transitioning production elsewhere. This leaves many fans wondering: where are B&M beans made now?
A Long History in Portland
B&M Beans got their start in 1867 when the Burnham & Morrill Company opened in Portland. Originally canning meats, fish, and vegetables, the company began experimenting with baked beans in the early 1900s to offset losses in other areas The oven-baked beans were an instant hit when introduced in 1927
The company went through several ownership changes over the decades but continued producing beans at their 4-story brick factory on Casco Bay At its peak, the Portland plant employed 300 people and used traditional open pot baking methods to produce a variety of bean styles and baked brown bread. B&M Beans held a leading market share throughout New England.
Leaving Portland
In August 2021, current owner B&G Foods announced plans to close the Portland plant by the end of the year. The property is being sold to make way for a new graduate school and research facility.
B&G Foods cited efficiency reasons for the move, as the Portland workforce had dropped to just 88 employees. They also recently decommissioned the factory’s iconic smokestack that had long been part of the city skyline.
Where Production is Moving
With the closure of the Portland plant, B&M production will shift to B&G Food’s Midwest facilities. The company said the transition will occur over the last four months of 2021.
B&G Foods owns over 20 manufacturing plants around the country producing brands like Green Giant, Ortega, and Cream of Wheat. Specific locations for B&M bean production going forward have not been announced. But they will likely be produced at existing factories in Ohio, Minnesota, or Nebraska where B&G already makes many canned vegetable products.
What This Means for B&M Beans
While no longer made in the original Portland factory, B&G insists that B&M beans will continue to be produced using the same recipes and oven-baked process. Consumers shouldn’t notice any difference in the final product. B&M Beans will still be packaged with the iconic labels showing the Portland waterfront scene.
However, the loss of local production is disappointing to many Maine residents. The prominent smokestack and smell of molasses from the factory was a beloved part of Portland for generations. But the B&M brand lives on, even if baked a little farther from home now. Fans can continue to enjoy the same quality New England style beans they’ve come to love over the past 150 years.
Here are some amazing facts about the B&M Plant:
- The “B” in B stands for George Burnham.
- The “M” (Charles Morrill) quickly joined Burnham and B.
- The plant moved to its current spot in 1913.
- The beans are made in gigantic 200-pound pots. 900 pounds with the beans in them.
- The B&M warehouse is 40,000 square feet.
- After World War II, demand for baked beans doubled. a good thing for B&M.
- The beans come in 2000-pound bags from Manitoba and Michigan.
- The plant has 75 current employees. In the heyday, there were 300.
- The floor of the factory used to be 100 degrees all the time.
If you haven’t been to the B
Check out this fantastic 4K drone video of the B&M plant. Have some beans and franks and toast this Portland landmark.
50 years on the job: A glimpse inside B&M
FAQ
Where do they make B&M beans now?
Who bought B&M baked beans?
Why are B&M baked beans hard to find?
Where are Bush’s beans made?
Where are B&M Baked Beans made?
The B&M Baked Beans factory is an historic cannery building in Portland, Maine, USA. Constructed in 1913 in the East Deering neighborhood, it was built by the Burnham & Morrill Company. Baked beans were produced in the building until 2021. The building is a prominent landmark highly visible from Interstate 295. It is located at 1 Beanpot Circle.
Does B&M still make baked beans?
The B&M plant that has made traditional New England baked beans for more than a century will shut down by the end of the year, according to its owner. Production of baked beans and other canned foods now made primarily at the Portland factory will move to plants in the Midwest, said B&G Foods, B&M’s parent company.
Who owns B&M Beans?
B&M went through multiple ownership changes starting with its purchase by PET Foods in the 1970s. Pillsbury bought the bean company in the 1990s, and it was sold to its current owner, B&G Foods Inc., in 1999. B&G also owns household brands such as Green Giant, Crisco, Ortega, Cream of Wheat and Clabber Girl.
Is Portland’s B&M Baked beans factory a thing of the past?
Portland’s B&M baked beans factory is soon to be a thing of the past, after more than a century in the city’s Back Cove.