Bireley was born in Los Angeles, and started an orange juice business to finance his studies at Stanford University.
The business became very successful, prompting Bireley to drop out of university and establish his own company in 1923.
He developed his own machinery to streamline the production process, and is credited as having patented the first automated juice extractor.
The company, Birley's, Inc., was acquired by General Foods in 1943, and he continued in its leadership as a division under the new parent.
[3] Bireley was friends with the aviator Amelia Earhart, and, an aviation enthusiast himself, taught the future World-War-II pilot Frank Kurtz to fly.