In 1924, Ben T. Byrd, Sr. began baking small batches of cookies from his bakery in Savannah, Georgia, packing them in wooden crates, and personally delivering them to neighborhood markets in his Model T Ford. The cookies were soon christened “Byrd’s Famous Cookies” and steadily gained popularity not only locally, but also among visitors who discovered the delicious confections while visiting Savannah.
It was Byrd’s son, BT Byrd, Jr., who would later go by Cookie Byrd, who had the idea of packing these bite sized confections in tins, so that they would travel better. This idea, paired with his popularizing of the Benne Wafer and the Benne Seed, took the company to a new level. By making these delicious treats transportable, Byrd became a gourmet food company, able to ship cookies to other markets.
History
Cookie Byrd’s daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Benny Curl, were the third generation to take the reins of Byrd Cookie Company. Under their ownership, the company grew leaps and bounds, developing dozens of new flavors and packaging ideas, most notably the Key Lime Cooler, that remains, to this day, the best selling cookie. It was the first cookie to ever win the Dessert of the Year award at the NASFT Fancy Food Show.
Kay and Benny’s daughter, Stephanie Lindley, is the latest Byrd to drive the Cookie Truck. Under Stephanie’s leadership the company is expanding their reach further. With strategic local, regional, and national relationships in place, Lindley has arranged for Byrd’s Famous Cookies to be available at such places as Old Savannah tours, Delta Sky Clubs, Universal Studios, and Neiman Marcus Department Stores. With an eye for international growth, Byrd will soon be exporting to dozens of countries in Europe, South America, North America, and Asia.
History
Celebrating 93 years of baking, Byrd’s recipe for success includes its continued tradition of hard work, superior product quality, and outstanding customer service. We continue to bake in small batches to deliver the superior cookies our customers expect. We welcome you to visit us in Savannah and see and taste the difference.
