(Andrew Jackson) Bush entered a partnership with the Stokely family to open a tomato cannery in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee.

(Fred was also a director of the National Canners Association, the primary industry trade group for canning companies.

)[5] The company's canning operations originally began with laborious, manual processes, then expanded with steam-powered engines, and eventually evolved into electric-powered factory machinery.

[13] The end result would be the flooding of the French Broad River bottom, where Bush Brothers had a number of farms.

After several months of negotiation, Bush Brothers & Company agreed to sell seven prime tracts of their farmland to the TVA, as well as the Oak Grove Canning Plant.

[14] In October 1944, Bush Brothers attempted to offset some of their farmland loss by purchasing the Blytheville Canning Company in Arkansas.

Claude Bush moved to Arkansas in 1948 to oversee the facilities and eventually managed to turn it into a profitable business.

As the family stockholders considered their options and discussed strategies for riding out the tough times ahead, Claude's son Condon Bush hit on the idea of offering a new product that would appeal to a wide audience as well as keep his Augusta plant busy during the off season.

[24] In 1979, Bush Brothers acquired the Dubon brand of canned foods when that company was sold, following bankruptcy.

Canned vegetables, such as carrots, peas, and beets are sold primarily in the Louisiana and New Orleans areas as a regional brand.

Office space in Chestnut Hill was filled to capacity, and the prospect of recruiting young, urban managers to such a rural location seemed unlikely.

The new ad focused on the "secret family recipe", and introduced Jay Bush (Condon's son) as the company's spokesperson.

Modeled after Bush's real-life pet golden retriever of the same name at the time (the dog itself experienced stage fright and was not properly camera-trained),[32] the campaign was created by CHD copywriter David Garzotto and was a huge hit for Bush Brothers, who saw a dramatic spike in baked bean sales.

As a result of the ad campaign, the duo became celebrities,[34] and sales of the company's beans increased from a 48% national market share to 80%.

[35] In 2012, comedian Julie Klausner tweeted a suggestion that Bush Brothers offer a poetry contest, allowing the winner to pet Duke, who she had seen in a television commercial.

The request was reiterated by numerous individuals on various social media sites and inspired an informal online petition to the company.

Bush's original General Store in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, and includes a museum, retail shop and café.

[38] Bush's Racing sponsor the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series #47 Chevy Camaro of JTG Daugherty Racing team, formerly driven by Bobby Labonte,[39] and now driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.[40] Bush Brothers and Company also sponsors the annual Bean and Bacon Days festival in Augusta, Wisconsin, where the company acquired the old Augusta canning factory in 1961.