Founder update: A hopeful future for beans

Hi PB community,

It’s hard to believe it’s been 3 months since I announced I’d be stepping back from the day-to-day at PB. It was scary to be so transparent – with a lot of unknowns still ahead and a warehouse stocked with beans to sell! But we trusted that honesty is always the right move and were open to the serendipity that comes from being real.

Fast forward to today, and we’re down to our very last 5 varieties (there aren’t many left – so if you missed out on the sale, now’s the time to stock up!).

While I’ll be stepping away from the day-to-day, my passion for this work – and what it stands for – is only growing.

Running PB has given me a front-row seat to both the challenges and the possibilities in agriculture. I’ve seen how growing unique crops responsibly takes real risk. It means nurturing soil health, protecting biodiversity, and adapting to climate shifts – all without guarantees that the market and systems will support those efforts.

Here’s what gives me hope: we can build a system that rewards this kind of care. We can create a future where farmers are celebrated for growing crops that reflect their regions, their values, and their wisdom. A future where flavorful, nutritious, diverse beans are a staple on every table – not a specialty item you have to seek out.

At PB, we’ve grown this vision – together. We’ve shown that when home cooks connect directly with thoughtful farms, a ripple effect follows. Farmers feel seen and supported. Shoppers cook more intentionally. And small choices start to shift the landscape.

My hope for the bean world is that we keep going. That flavorful, regional varieties are celebrated. That care in agriculture isn’t the exception – it’s the norm. That more farms find a path forward not in spite of their values, but because of them.

Of course, farmers can’t do this alone – and neither can we. It’ll take continued investment, community, and reimagining the systems we’ve inherited. But I believe we’re on the right track. And I’m more committed than ever to staying in this work.

That’s why I started my Substack: Bean There, Still Cooking. Once I step back from the rhythm of running things at PB, it’ll become the space where I keep untangling food, culture, and the quiet systems that shape how we eat and live. But I don’t want to do it alone. I need curious, thoughtful readers like you to keep the conversation alive – to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and help imagine what comes next. The transparency and participation we built together at PB mean a lot to me, and I want that spirit to carry forward into this next chapter. If you’d like to be part of it, you can sign up here.

And for those of you who are eager to know what comes next for PB, I’m thrilled to share that someone new will be taking the reins this summer – which means: bean lovers, rejoice! A fresh crop is on the way. (You can join the waitlist here.) I couldn’t be happier with how this is unfolding, and I can’t wait to introduce you (soon!) to the thoughtful, values-driven leader stepping in to carry the vision forward. 

To the future of beans and the land & people they come from,

Lesley