Our Story
Our Founder:
In 1924, Benjamin Tillman "Pop" Byrd, Sr. , at the age of 28, began baking his famous Scotch Oatmeal cookies in beautiful Savannah Georgia. He had a small bakery downtown near City Market and delivered the fresh cookies to stores around town in his Model T Ford.
Typically, the cookies were sold out of large glass jars at ‘2 for a penny’. Pop’s cookies quickly became a favorite among locals and several more items were added to the bakery lineup, but nothing was as unique or as popular as the Scotch Oatmeal cookie. As the business grew, Pop decided to move the bakery closer to home on the outskirts of town, a little community called Sandfly. In 1929, he converted a tin-sided barn into a larger bakery which he lovingly named “Byrd’s Famous Cookies”.
“Cookie” Byrd & the 2nd Generation:
In 1945, B.T. Byrd, Jr., widely known as “Cookie”, the oldest of Pop’s 4 children, took the helm of the growing cookie company after returning from his service in World War II. In 1957, demand called for a larger, more modern brick bakery that was completed across the dirt road from the family home. This would be the home of Byrd’s Famous Cookies for nearly 50 years!
As regional demand grew, he had the great idea of packing the new bite-sized cookies and cocktail bits in custom printed square metal tins, leaving the happy consumer with a memorable souvenir, even after the cookies were long gone.
By the mid 70’s, tourism in Savannah was booming, which allowed Cookie to seize the opportunity to reach a much larger audience with bakery tours. Welcoming busloads of hungry cookie guests for these tours was one of Cookie’s greatest passions. To this day, Byrd still loves sharing their cookies with visitors and offers daily bakery tours at their flagship location in Savannah!
The Curls & the 3rd Generation:
Kay, the eldest of Cookie and Florence's daughters, and her husband, Benny, bought the company in 1988. The energetic, next generation of the Byrd family had big ideas for continuing the legacy of offering cookies packaged in the signature 6” square tins. Selling the colorful gifts as specialty souvenirs to cities far beyond Savannah made Byrd synonymous with southern hospitality.
These big ideas proved extremely successful! Resorts, amusement parks, and department stores all over the country began purchasing custom printed tins filled with Byrd’s Famous Cookies. Delicious new flavors were added to fuel the growth and energy behind the brand. One cookie immediately drew international acclaim; the Key Lime Cooler! This little cookie won the prestigious Dessert of the Year Award in New York in 1990. It was the first and only time a cookie has ever been awarded this honor.
The Lindleys & the 4th Generation:
In 2011, having actively worked in the bakery most of her life, Stephanie Lindley, Kay and Benny’s middle child, took the reins. The gourmet food industry had grown tremendously during the last 20 years, and Stephanie was eager to seek out business opportunities that would expose Byrd in a much larger way. Capturing accounts like Delta Airlines, Kroger, Universal Studios, United Airlines, FedEx, and Neiman Marcus were all integral in putting the Byrd brand on an international stage.
Closer to home, increasing Byrd’s cookie store locations around the Southeast was key. As the company grew, it was very important that the family maintain direct access to the cookie consumer. In 2012, Byrd opened their second store in City Market, just steps away from the original bakery. Listening to visitor needs and maintaining a strong customer relationship has allowed the company to stay close to top picks & favorite flavors, which is the hallmark of the retail stores.
The stability and steady growth in these 2 key areas required a major bakery expansion in 2018. A new 170ft state-of-the-art tunnel oven and production line were added to the 9-acre campus on Waters Avenue in Savannah. The added capacity allowed Stephanie and her team to continue to build relationships while keeping prices competitive, aiding to the overall continued success of the company’s legacy.
What’s Next: the 5th Generation
95 years later, Byrd’s Famous Cookies is still growing family leaders and baking in the same style, using the same recipes that the founders handed down years ago. In 2012, Stephanie’s son, Jamie Lindley, joined as Director of Operations, leading that next generation forward.
As the Vice President of Operations at Byrd Cookie Company, Jamie oversees the production, logistics, and engineering departments, which include nearly 50 employees. He maintains quality control for all of Byrd's retail, wholesale and large-volume contract orders and manages the production schedule for baked goods. He also ensures compliance with federal, state, and third-party consumer advocacy group guidelines.