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Friends of PB,
I started Primary Beans with a simple idea: bring beans to the forefront of our meals, and as a result, the conversation around sustainable agriculture. Beans are one of our planet’s friendliest foods, so if there was a way to look at the supply chain a bit differently, offer home cooks a supply rich in diversity and flavor, and perhaps get us all to think differently about beans as part of our daily lives– maybe, just maybe I could make a tiny dent in the fight against climate change.
Since we launched in 2020, we've grown our community all over the Northern Hemisphere, launched new varieties, expanded our network of talented farmers, and created lots of educational content around climate-friendly agriculture and earth-friendly cooking.
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We’ve developed a philosophy around the types of farmers we work with, which we outline on our site. (While it doesn’t cover all the nuances associated with each farm and growing region, it's our attempt at providing a broad overview).
I’m also extremely proud of our first ever pilot project, where we offered many of you unique trial beans in exchange for valuable feedback that will inform what we plant next. This is our first of many attempts to create a stronger bridge between home cooks and our food system, in order to inspire more mindfulness and care around what we consume daily. It’s already been so well received by many of you, proving how you too crave a future where you can be intimately connected to your food and where it comes from.
It’s such a privilege to look back and celebrate our progress this Earth Day– it’s a reminder that a group of passionate individuals working collectively towards a shared vision is the best way to create and inspire change. It also serves as fuel for the road ahead, re-energizing us as we work to broaden our impact.
First, my plan is to widen our network of farms in the US and beyond. Through many conversations, I’ve realized there are so many farms doing the hard work of growing food responsibly who could use our help reaching home cooks and making sure their story doesn’t get lost in the process. (Plus, more diverse beans = exciting culinary opportunities.)
Secondly, we plan on a much needed (and much requested!) overhaul of our packaging, from plastic to something else! As a small business working with low volumes and many varieties, we had little choice but to go with sturdy plastic as a starting point. We now offer a 2.5-lb bulk bag, and it’s always been our goal to rethink that ASAP.
And lastly, I’m looking to allocate more resources to efforts dear to my new-mama heart: beans in early childhood gardening programs and as a vehicle for redefining “kid food.”
Of course, eating more beans is just one piece of a very complex puzzle to heal our planet. In an effort to sustain ourselves for the long haul, I’m working on being extra mindful about slowing things down, marveling at nature, and treasuring my wellbeing– and I hope the same for each of you, today and every day.
I’m very grateful you’ve let Primary Beans into your lives, and am honored to celebrate all of Earth’s gifts with you.
In community,
Lesley
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