We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rose Mary Bellamy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

1. Thoughts on a family business

Grandpa Foods is a perfect example of what makes a family business special—passion, perseverance, and a deep-rooted purpose. The fact that the company was founded out of love, not just for food but for family, gives it a unique authenticity that customers can connect with.

Family businesses often have an advantage in their strong values and commitment to quality. When a product is made with such a personal touch, it naturally stands out in the market. The story behind Grandpa Foods is not just about a great sauce—it’s about dedication, belief, and legacy.

As you continue to grow, keeping that heartfelt mission at the center of your brand will be key

2. The story behind your passion

Grandpa Foods was founded out of love. Co-founder William Bellamy, a retired U.S. Marine with 20 years of service, embarked on a mission to create a condiment that his co-founder, Rose Mary, who was never a fan of condiments, would enjoy. After a year of trial and error, he succeeded in crafting a sauce that Rose Mary not only ate but loved. Encouraged by Rose Mary and their family, William decided to share this creation with the world, leading to the birth of Grandpa Foods.

Grandpa Foods is a service-disabled veteran, Black-owned, and family-operated business. Their apple butter-based BBQ sauce is completely tomato-free, making it suitable for those who suffer from tomato allergies, acid reflux and heartburn. Furthermore, every products we create is gluten free and made from all- natural ingredients

3. How did you come up with the name of your company

There’s a lot that goes into choosing a name for your business. We had several meetings, tossing around ideas from family and friends. There were plenty of suggestions—some creative, some out of left field—but nothing stuck. It felt like we were at a baseball game, striking out with every pitch. And when it comes to naming a business, the name has to stick like a magnet.

Then someone pointed out that our co-founder and the creator of these unique products hadn’t weighed in yet. Suddenly, all eyes were on him.

Without missing a beat, he said:

“Grandpa Foods.”

Simple. Genuine. Perfect.

He chose the name because of the joy he feels being a grandpa. And once he said it, that was basically game over—everyone knew that was the name. It captured the heart of what we’re about: family, tradition, and creating products that bring people together.

The best part? The name Grandpa Foods isn’t just meaningful for today. It gives us room to grow, allowing us to expand into different areas of the food industry in the future—should we decide to.

4. Social media – Do you manage your own social media or have you hired a team/or company to manage

We collaborate closely with a very skilled individual managing our social media platforms while expanding our brand name across several existing media platforms.

5. Getting Support from friends and family

Supporting a small business isn’t just about financial contributions. Your hobbies and skills could make a huge impact! Whether it’s photography, video creation, or simply spreading the word—word of mouth is some of the best advertising. Engaging on social media, sharing posts, or telling a friend about our product helps more than you know. Every bit of support counts!

6. Getting Support from friends and family

Supporting a small business isn’t just about financial contributions. Your hobbies and skills could make a huge impact! Whether it’s photography, video creation, or simply spreading the word—word of mouth is some of the best advertising. Engaging on social media, sharing posts, or telling a friend about our product helps more than you know. Every bit of support counts!

7. Taking Action

Planning is important, but execution is everything. Many people have great ideas, but those who act on them are the ones who succeed.

For Grandpa Foods our foundation is strong-
Authenticity, family support and a product created from love. Pairing that with strategy, persistence, and innovation will help take it even further.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

How I Met My Co-founder/Business Partner

My co-founder and business partner is my husband. I had moved from Ohio to Virginia to live with my oldest brother and his family while attending the local community college.

After a few months, one of my classmates told me about a friend of her husband—both of them were in the Marines. She said, “You guys would make a good couple. Why don’t you come over on Friday after they get back from training?”

I had already decided I wasn’t going to show up, but I agreed anyway just to be polite. That following Monday, after my no-show, she asked why I didn’t come. “He really wanted to meet you,” she said. My excuse? “I had homework.”

She didn’t push back, just smiled and said, “Okay!” But the thing is—we were in the same classes. A few hours of not studying wouldn’t have hurt me, especially since I had an entire week to catch up.

A few weeks later, she tried again—this time using my own excuse against me. During class, she casually asked, “Hey, want to come over and study?”

Now she had my attention. Little did I know that when I arrived, her husband’s friend would be there too.

To say she was right about us being a good match would be an understatement. Here we are, almost 46 years later, with two wonderful adult children and three beautiful grandchildren.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A Story of Resilience from Our Journey

Building Grandpa Foods has been a labor of love, rooted in family, tradition, and a whole lot of determination. But like any journey worth taking, it hasn’t been without its challenges.

One moment that stands out happened early on when we were still trying to perfect our signature condiment. We knew what we wanted—it had to be something special, something that carried the heart of our family in every jar. But batch after batch, we couldn’t quite get it right. The flavor wasn’t balanced, the texture was off, or it just didn’t have that “wow” factor we knew it needed.

There were times we felt frustrated, questioning if we’d ever crack the code. It would’ve been easy to settle for “good enough,” but that’s not who we are. We were determined to create something that wasn’t just good—but something that people would taste and immediately know it was made with love.

So, we kept going. We tweaked the recipe, tested new ingredients, adjusted the process—sometimes staying up late into the night, tasting, refining, starting over. Every setback taught us something new. Every failed batch brought us one step closer to success.

Eventually, after countless tries, we found it—that perfect blend that made us say, “This is it.” The resilience wasn’t just in the recipe; it was in us. In our commitment to honoring the inspiration behind Grandpa Foods, in our refusal to give up, and in our belief that the right flavor was out there—we just had to keep going until we found it.

Looking back, that journey taught us that resilience isn’t about avoiding failure. It’s about showing up, even when it’s hard, and trusting that every challenge is part of the story. And what a story it’s been.

How does that feel? Would you like me to tweak anything or add more details?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.grandpafoods.com
• Instagram: Grandpa Foods
• Facebook: grandpa foods
• Linkedin: Grandpa Foods
• Yelp: Grandpa Foods Apple Butter BBSauce

Image Credits

Akilah Boston