Corn, Courage and a Car Trunk: The Making of Calhoun Bend Mill
Our story begins with the kernel of a great idea, and it ends with your family’s enjoyment.
Great, Great Grandpa Nathan Calhoun was from a long line of entrepreneurial Calhoun’s, having roots in South Carolina before the family moved west and resettled in Monterey, Louisiana, in 1852. Ever the visionary, he built the area's first grist mill by the river; this area of the Black River became known as "Calhoun Bend”.
Over 130 years later, Great, Great Grandson Nathan Patrick Calhoun found inspiration for his future from working on the family farm and learning to cook alongside his mother. In 1988, Patrick and his brother Jesse purchased a gristmill and began producing stone ground cornmeal from corn grown on the family farm. While attending college, Patrick distributed and sold cornmeal to local grocery stores directly from the trunk of his Honda Accord. With an eye for the future and a remembrance of the past, Patrick and his wife, Monica, developed a line of mixes based on recipes from his mother and other family members, and through perseverance and dedication worked to establish the business. Today, Calhoun Bend Mill is headquartered in Jonesborough, Tennessee, with products available in grocery stores and restaurants across the U.S. and internationally.
Calhoun Bend Mill prints Bible references on its cartons. Some of the scriptural references have included John 3:16, Philippians 4:6-7 and Proverbs 3:5-6. Early on, Patrick and Monica decided to use their company as a platform to share their faith, a commitment that has remained steadfast ever since.
Core and Family Values
Calhoun Bend Mill emphasizes a strong foundation of faith and family values. We acknowledge the Lord as the owner of our company and make decisions guided by our faith. Our mission is rooted in providing high-quality, Southern-style mixes that bring comfort and a sense of home to our customers.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.."
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)