  
 Blue Crab Bay began on the kitchen table of a farm house two miles from the town of Onancock, Virginia. Many say that Pam Barefoot's pride in the company is like that of a mother’s love for her child. It was nurtured and loved, and it grew into what it is today. Despite success over the years, Pam hasn't lost sight of her love for the Eastern Shore of Virginia nor its citizenry. She is an entrepreneur who gives back to her community. Employees include persons from local mental retardation, employment programs, and a portion of the sales from several products benefit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
In 1985, Blue Crab Bay founder had an inspired vision of what a business could be. From her seaside farmhouse kitchen she imagined a company that would put the tastes of the Chesapeake region on the map, be a protector of the environment and provide stimulating and fun employment for citizens of her rural community. Surrounding herself with foods from the Chesapeake, a functioning stove, a list of contacts and boatloads of imagination and determination, Barefoot got to work.
Her first brand, Blue Crab Bay Co., featured original products like seasonings for crab dip and gift packs wrapped in weathered fishnet with seashells. In the late 1980's, on the strength of the addictive "Clam Dip Blend", the customer base escalated geographically and her small company began exhibiting at national trade shows. The handsome packaging even gained the attention of Hollywood set directors. Kitchen cabinets were stocked full in an opening shot of Julia Roberts' film "Sleeping with the Enemy."
To this day Barefoot will say she is not a financial person. In the early stages of her company's explosive growth, she was "almost giving product away". As a result, by 1993 Blue Crab Bay Co. was in real trouble with banks reluctant to offer any additional support. Realizing that this may be her last chance to save her company, Barefoot got back to work at her kitchen table developing her dream product. She spent the early months of 1994 mixing tomato paste, clam juice, horseradish and seafood spices to create the company's best seller, the award-winning Sting Ray Bloody Mary Mixer.
Sales exploded, awards rained plentiful, and the number of employees mounted. Barefoot began distribution of other products, including foods and gift items. To avoid name confusion, 1n 1999 the company took on a new corporate name, Bay Beyond Inc. To accommodate the resulting growth and demand for space, the company bought five acres of wooded land in the Accomack Airport Industrial Park, and built a facility to house offices, warehouse, shipping and a small retail shop. That same year, Barefoot was named the SBA's Small Business Person of the Year for the state of Virginia!
In the shadows of all this success, Blue Crab Bay Co.'s corporate culture continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment and its rural Eastern Shore community. Each year, employees energetically plan and execute charity events. Since 1998, the Blue Crabbers Relay for Life Team has raised over $50,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society. The company supports various organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore, The Nature Conservancy, and the United Way of Virginia's Eastern Shore. And in 2003 at the SBA's 50th Anniversary Celebration in Washington, DC, Barefoot was honored as an Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur.
|
