In an era where digital connection dominates our daily interactions, one beloved food brand is stirring up something special to bring people back to the dinner table. Bush’s® Beans has announced an innovative partnership with Eventbrite to launch their new “Chili Nights” booking platform, designed to transform ordinary meals into memorable moments of connection. The initiative kicks off with a star-studded launch dinner in New York City, hosted by none other than Brian Baumgartner – the actor, author, and renowned chili connoisseur best known for his iconic role in The Office.
The Power of Chili: More Than Just a Meal
The timing couldn’t be more perfect. With over 3.1 million #familydinner posts flooding Instagram, it’s clear that people are craving authentic, in-real-life connections. Bush’s® Beans recognizes this cultural shift and is positioning chili as the ultimate comfort food that naturally brings people together around the table.
“Bush’s Chili Beans? Yeah… they’ve always been the not-so-secret weapon in my family’s chili,” said Baumgartner. “But it’s more than just what’s in the pot – chili has this way of bringing people together. It can turn an ordinary Tuesday into something special. So, I’m teaming up with Bush’s to help more folks bring back those moments, because chili night? That’s always a good night.”
This sentiment resonates deeply with food and beverage professionals who understand that successful dining experiences are built on more than just great food – they’re about creating moments that matter.
NYC Launch: An Exclusive Culinary Experience
The inaugural Chili Night will take place on November 18, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET in New York City. This intimate gathering is limited to just 20 chili enthusiasts, making it one of the most exclusive food events of the season. The first drop of 10 guest seats is already live for booking, with a second drop of 10 seats becoming available at 9 a.m. ET on November 13.
For food service professionals and hospitality leaders, this event represents more than just a dinner – it’s a masterclass in experiential marketing and community building. The limited capacity creates urgency while ensuring an intimate, high-quality experience for attendees.
Nationwide Expansion: Democratizing the Experience
Understanding that not everyone can make it to NYC, Bush’s has created something truly innovative: a nationwide platform that allows anyone to host their own Chili Nights from the comfort of their home. The first 200 hosts who sign up through 11:59 p.m. ET on November 24 will receive an exclusive toolkit delivered directly to their homes.
The toolkit includes:
- Bush’s Chili Beans coupons
- Brian Baumgartner’s famous chili recipe
- Expert hosting tips and guidance
- Everything needed for a memorable Chili Night experience
This approach demonstrates sophisticated consumer engagement strategy, combining digital convenience with physical product delivery to create a seamless brand experience.
Industry Impact: A New Model for Food Marketing
BJ Thomas, Brand Manager at Bush’s Beans, explains the initiative’s deeper purpose: “With life moving 100 miles per hour, shared family meals often fall by the wayside. Our Chili Nights booking platform is a way to press pause and make room for connection around the table. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner at a friend’s place or a full-on chili celebration, we’re here to help make Chili Nights an easy, delicious tradition worth gathering for.”
This strategic approach offers several lessons for food and beverage companies:
1. Experiential Marketing at Scale
By partnering with Eventbrite, Bush’s has created a scalable platform that can accommodate both intimate celebrity-hosted dinners and grassroots community gatherings. This dual approach maximizes reach while maintaining exclusivity at the premium level.
2. Celebrity Partnership Done Right
Brian Baumgartner isn’t just a celebrity endorser – he’s authentically connected to chili culture through his Office character and personal passion. This authentic connection makes the partnership feel genuine rather than transactional.
3. Digital-Physical Integration
The platform seamlessly blends digital booking convenience with physical product delivery, creating multiple touchpoints with consumers while driving sales.
The Product Behind the Experience
At the heart of this initiative are Bush’s Chili Beans – masterfully slow-simmered to perfection in a rich sauce with a unique blend of spices infused into every bean. Available in both mild and spicy sauce varieties, these beans have been the secret ingredient in countless award-winning chili recipes, from world championship competitions to office cookoffs.
The product’s versatility and consistent quality make it an ideal choice for both amateur home cooks and professional chefs looking to elevate their chili offerings. For food service professionals, Bush’s Chili Beans are available nationwide through their store locator.
Strategic Partnerships: The Eventbrite Connection
The collaboration with Eventbrite represents a smart strategic move that expands Bush’s reach into the event planning and social gathering space. Eventbrite, serving event creators and attendees in nearly 180 countries, brings significant platform credibility and logistical expertise to the initiative.
Since its inception, Eventbrite has been central to the experience economy, transforming how people organize and attend events. In 2024 alone, the platform distributed 83 million paid tickets to over 4.7 million events across a global community of 89 million monthly average users. This partnership gives Bush’s access to a massive, engaged audience already interested in social experiences.
Implementation Lessons for F&B Professionals
The Chili Nights initiative offers several key takeaways for food and beverage professionals:
Community Building Over Direct Sales: Rather than focusing solely on product promotion, Bush’s is building a community around shared experiences, creating deeper brand loyalty.
Platform Leverage: By partnering with an established platform like Eventbrite, they avoided the significant investment required to build their own booking system while gaining access to proven infrastructure.
Scalable Exclusivity: The two-tiered approach (exclusive NYC dinner + nationwide home events) allows the brand to create premium experiences while maintaining broad accessibility.
Content Creation: Each Chili Night becomes user-generated content, expanding the brand’s reach organically through social sharing.
The Future of Food Marketing
This initiative signals a broader shift in food marketing from traditional advertising to experience creation. As consumers increasingly value authenticity and connection, brands that can facilitate meaningful moments around food will have a significant competitive advantage.
For restaurant operators, this model suggests opportunities to create their own community-building initiatives around signature dishes or seasonal offerings. The key is finding the right balance between exclusivity and accessibility, premium experiences and widespread participation.
The Bush’s Chili Nights platform represents more than just a marketing campaign – it’s a blueprint for how food brands can create lasting emotional connections with consumers in an increasingly digital world. By making it easier for people to gather around good food, Bush’s isn’t just selling beans – they’re selling the promise of connection, one bowl of chili at a time.
For media inquiries about this initiative, contact Anastasia Maragos at anastasia.maragos@zenogroup.com.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
