‘A dream come true.’ North Carolina family’s southern comfort food sold in 400+ Target stores along the East Coast

CHARLOTTE ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — Whether you are a mom-and-pop shop or a big-box retailer, every business has its origin story: this one started with a dream.

“My son is a dreamer from the beginning he has said, ‘One day we are going to be in this place and one day we are going to be doing this thing.’ And as a dad, you say, ‘Okay, Joe. Okay,” William Wyatt said.

Eventually, Wyatt got over his initial skepticism and dove headfirst into his son Joseph’s new business idea. In 2020, they opened a food truck in the parking lot of a shopping center.

“When the lines started getting long and people started making us an everyday part of their lives, I was like, ‘Hey, we got something here,” Co-owner of Ben’s Boys Premium Food Joeseph Wyatt said.

They’ve got what the Wyatts describe as premium southern comfort food – that eventually made its way onto plates in their brick-and-mortar restaurant in Greensboro.

“It’s been a dream come true. It is not something that happens a lot. It is not something that is passed down. It is something that we actually got to build as father and son,” William said.

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Their success story didn’t end here, but it did have some roadblocks. Last year, William was diagnosed with cancer. After spending 16 days in the hospital for treatment, he was discharged with strict instructions to stay home.

But sometimes, rules are meant to be broken.

“So, that morning, he called me early and said, ‘Don’t tell mom, but you get up and get dressed and we are going to be at Target when they open the doors. We are going to run in, shoot a little video, take a picture. We will get you back in bed before anyone knows that you’ve been gone.’” William said about his son.

It’s a dream that started in a parking lot four years ago, that has led them down the frozen seafood section of Target in Huntersville.

Products with their names and faces on them are now being sold at stores up and down the East Coast.

“It’s like the check on the start of your dreams right, and being able to do that with my father is amazing,” Joseph said. “All of our products are named after people, Aunt Dot’s salmon patties – that’s my mother.

The company’s name, Ben’s Boys, is named after William’s father.

“For me, I still wonder if this is real. You know you dream about these kinds of things, and you talk about these kinds of things,” William said. “And then coming here and holding that package up. I was already feeling better, but that really got me feeling better, and it’s still I do this every now and then to make sure that this is really real.”

The Wyatts say their products are being sold at 457 Target stores.

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