- Jay Jandrain is the CEO of Butterball.
- His family celebrates Thanksgiving with lots of food and two different types of turkey.
- Jandrain prepares his holiday feast himself — with some help from his wife, he told BI.
The CEO of Butterball — perhaps the biggest name in turkeys — spends all year preparing for the biggest day for turkeys.
But on Thanksgiving itself, the day is reserved for family — complete with two Butterball turkeys he cooks himself, he told Business Insider.
CEO Jay Jandrain has been in the turkey business for 35 years. He says he has a passion for poultry that runs in his blood. Jandrain told BI that his father was in the turkey business, too, so it’s a family affair.
And like most Americans, he says he’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving with a house full of family.
Jandrain says he’s become somewhat of an expert host over the years, and he’s expecting his parents, in-laws, and all three of his children to celebrate with him and his wife at their home in North Carolina on Thursday.
Like most families, he says, he grew up with “obviously having a turkey on the table” during the holidays. It was an extra big deal because his dad was in the turkey business.
“So that’s always been a big part of how we celebrate the holidays,” he says.
So how does the CEO of Butterball prepare the main course on Turkey Day?
Jandrain says the turkey is the star of his family’s Thanksgiving table. He’s in charge of cooking — a tradition he learned from his parents, he says.
Jandrain’s mother even told his wife, when they got married, to “never learn to cook.” Now, he — like his father did — handles all the cooking while his wife takes care of the “prep stuff,” as he calls it.
He says he appreciates all the different ways to cook a Thanksgiving turkey — and changes it up sometimes. But the most time-tested version of turkey — oven-roasted — is king at the family dinner table, he says. There’s “always one in the oven,” he says.
And this year, Jandrain says he also has plans to grill one bird.
His favorite holiday dish, other than turkey, is a classic Thanksgiving stuffing, and he says his family often makes “way more food than we’re going to eat.”
“My wife always tells me to pare it down. But you know, everybody’s always got their favorite side,” Jandrain said.
And to top off the bounty, his must-have dessert is a twist on a Thanksgiving classic. Jandrain says the feast isn’t complete without pumpkin cheesecake.
As for Butterball, it begins prepping for the holiday season a year in advance, and its “fresh” turkey season begins in October. During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, plant employees work seven days a week to be ready for the big day, Jandrain says.
The name “Butterball” first appeared in a 1940 trademark registered to Ada Walker of Ohio. It’s unclear exactly what inspired Walker’s trademark, attorney Boston David Kluft wrote in a LinkedIn post on the mystery of the name.
On Walker’s application for a trademark, she asked for the Butterball name to be affixed to “Live and Dressed” poultry, as well as “Sandwiches, Eggs and Fresh Vegetables.”
When poultry worker Leo Peters purchased the trademark in 1951, his Butterball turkeys took off in popularity. The first-ever Butterball-branded turkey was introduced in 1954, according to the company.
Now — under new ownership — the company operates in five states across the US, and it’s headquartered in Garner, North Carolina. It’s a privately-held company, co-owned by Seaboard Corporation and Maxwell Farms since 2010.
As the CEO, Jandrain — who was appointed to the role on an interim basis in 2018 and permanently in 2019 — becomes somewhat of celebrity to those who want to learn more about the company and its famous turkeys. (He’s been with the company since 2002.)
And when in doubt, Jandrain says, call the Butterball Turkey Talk Line to speak to one of the turkey experts for guidance.
Correction: November 27, 2023 — Jay Jandrain has been CEO of Butterball on a permanent basis since 2019; he was appointed on an interim basis in 2018.
An earlier version of this story was published November 23, 2023.
