A father and daughter build a garlic legacy

In Florida, a father and daughter are building a legacy from one simple ingredient: garlic. Paul and Claire Brala turned their shared love of garlic into a growing business that’s as much about family as food. What began as Paul’s curiosity for flavor has evolved into a partnership shaped by persistence, purpose and a shared vision for what good food can bring to a table.

The vision Paul and Claire shared became the driving force behind Brala’s Best. Each decision, from sourcing ingredients to packaging, reflects their commitment to quality and honesty. They built the business with a focus on keeping the product simple and the process personal while staying true to the values that started it all.

A family tradition turns into a passion

Food has always been central to the Brala family. Paul Brala, founder of Brala’s Best, grew up in a large Polish household where meals brought everyone together, and his grandfather’s restaurant on Wall Street taught the family to value quality and consistency.

As a child, Paul preferred helping in the kitchen instead of watching television with the boys in the family. He watched his mother and aunts prepare dishes for dozens of relatives, learning patience and precision. Those lessons guided him later when he began developing his own recipes.

Paul first discovered fresh garlic during college when his Indian neighbors used it daily in their cooking. Fascinated by its flavor, he began experimenting with sauces to find the right balance of taste and texture. That curiosity grew into a focused mission: make garlic convenient without losing freshness. By the time Claire was a child, he had developed a whipped garlic spread that kept its flavor and was easy to use. That formula became the base for Brala’s Best.

From kitchen recipe to family business

Paul shared his garlic spread with family and friends for years before it turned into a business. People loved its convenience and flavor, and their feedback encouraged him to make more. When Claire and her husband, Ryan, suggested naming the product Brala’s Best, Paul hesitated to attach his name, but their point about trust and family pride convinced him, and the name stayed.

When I spoke with Claire, her enthusiasm for Brala’s Best was immediate. The spread has built a loyal following for its fresh flavor, but it’s the partnership behind it that makes the story compelling. Paul focused on perfecting the recipe, while Claire saw its potential to grow.

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As Claire took on a larger role, her drive soon matched her father’s experience. “Before Covid, I just helped out,” she told me. “But when everything got back to normal, I dove in completely.” She took over the spreadsheets, the planning and long-term direction, while Paul stayed focused on operations. “I like to build the vision and then work backward,” she said.

A calculated leap

As Brala’s Best attracted more customers, Claire and her husband moved from Ohio to Florida to be closer to her dad. They invested their savings in a commercial kitchen, fully backing the next phase of the business. “My husband asked, ‘What’s your cut-off limit?’” she remembered. “Once we actually projected a number, it gave us direction.” Now, when people ask for advice, she smiles and says, “Give yourself a hard limit, then multiply it by three.”

Balancing growth and legacy

Claire and Paul have always been close, and they worked to protect that bond as the business evolved. They kept time aside for father-daughter moments when talk of orders and logistics was off-limits. To keep meetings calm, they begin with a short meditation. “It sounds a little strange,” Claire admitted, “but it really works. You let go of stress or frustration, and the meeting just flows.” The practice keeps them grounded, with Paul’s steady hand in production and Claire’s drive to keep Brala’s Best growing.

For the Bralas, the business has always been about connection as much as food. “I’m an only child,” Claire said. “Traditionally, the Brala name wouldn’t continue, but this way, it will live on in people’s homes.” Now their story moves forward through what they create together. As Brala’s Best grows, each pouch carries more than flavor. It’s a quiet reminder that a family’s passion can become its legacy.

Crafting success with care

At its heart, Brala’s Best isn’t just a product; it’s a promise. What started as Paul’s experiment and Claire’s leap of faith has become a bridge between generations, one that turns a shared love of flavor into something lasting. Their journey proves that when craft meets conviction, even the simplest ingredient can tell a story that endures far beyond the kitchen.

Mandy Applegate is the creator behind Splash of Taste and seven other high-profile food and travel blogs. She’s also the co-founder of Food Drink Life Inc., a unique and highly rewarding collaborative blogger project. Her articles appear frequently on major online news sites, and she always has her eyes open to spot the next big trend.

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