Bush’s Beans Spokesdog ‘Duke’ Visits Meijer Headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan

When you think of grocery item mascots likely cereal characters like Tony the Tiger comes to mind. And in the real world it's probable you've by chance seen Oscar Meyer's Weinermobile cruising down the interstate or parked at a supermarket.

But there might not be a more pleasant surprise one could have than having the real life Duke, the dog featured in Bush's Baked Beans advertising.

Duke and his person Jay Bush - not an actor, the real life scion of the Bush's Beans family - have been the face of the company in advertising for 30 years. The advertising campaign featuring Jay and Duke was first created in 1993.

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That longevity, of course, means there have been a few Dukes over the years. A dog named Sam in real life portrayed Duke in commercials for two decades before passing away in 2018.

The job for a golden retriever who becomes Duke includes travel across the country promoting the company. Duke also has a substantial following on Instagram.

The company also maintains a webpage for its iconic dog saying,

Duke and his old pal Jay Bush have rolled all manner of beautiful bean footage and helped generations of people fall in love with Bush’s® Beans again and again. These days, you’re more likely to find Duke living his best bean life on Instagram

Duke made a quiet appearance in West Michigan recently when employees at the Grand Rapids area headquarters for superstore chain Meijer were greeted with the lovable beandog.

He appeared to be enjoying the West Michigan springtime and was sporting a Bush's Beans bandana as he lounged in front of a step-and-repeat for photos from Meijer employees.