Un-bean-lievable pot of baked beans weighing nearly 7,000 litres breaks record in Türkiye

A standard can of baked beans usually weighs about 15 oz (425 g). That’s a decently-sized meal for a single person, right?

Well, in an effort to feed the whole town, one community in Türkiye just prepared a mouth-watering and eye-boggling record attempt this 22 August – and they were determined that nobody go home hungry. 

Last month, the Kelkit Chamber of Commerce and Industry worked alongside the Gümüşhane Governorship and Kelkit Municipality (all Türkiye) to create the largest pot of baked beans in the world, made with their region’s specialty Kelkit Şeker Fasulyesi (Kelkit beans). 

In total, 6,840 litres (1,807 US gal) were prepared in the giant container, which weighed in at roughly 1.5x the size of a grand piano. That’s equivalent to over 15,000 cans of baked beans!

Speaking to GWR after the event, the organizers said: “This title is a historic achievement for Kelkit, Gümüşhane and our region. It represents international recognition of our agricultural heritage, our local product and our community’s collective effort. We believe it will remain a source of pride for future generations.”

They continued with: “We are most proud of the teamwork behind the record. Farmers, culinary teams, engineers, food-safety professionals, sponsors, public institutions and volunteers all contributed to the achievement. 

“The record belongs to the entire community.”

Before undertaking the attempt itself, Kelkit officials wanted to think of a way to showcase their beans to a global audience. The curved legume with little purple spots are grown in the Kelkit plain, and the community wanted to “honour our farmers and support the promotion and economic value of this local product.”

At the same time, they also wanted to “unite our community around an ambitious and positive project” – so when they heard about the 2012 baked bean record held by Davcev Stojan and DASTO (both Macedonia), they knew they had to give it a shot.

Read more stories about record-breaking meals in our dedicated Food and Drink section!

Nevertheless, taking the title is no easy feat, particularly as the prior Macedonian record holders had prepared a whopping 5,600 litres (1,479.36 US gal) of beans for their hungry audience in Sarcievo village. 

The chefs in Gümüşhane were undaunted, however, and with extensive technical and operational planning they felt prepared to attempt the challenge on a Saturday afternoon last month.

Dividing the project into specialized teams, certain people were responsible for different tasks: either cooking, engineering, measuring, documenting, safety, distribution or logistics. 

“Clear responsibilities, regular communication and contingency planning helped us overcome the challenges successfully,” said the organizers.

And finally, after hours of cooking, the team was ready to unveil the baked beans to a giant crowd of locals and excited businesspeople.

Also in attendance was Guinness World Records Adjudicator Seyda Subasi-Gemici, who was present to oversee the dimensions of the pot and the meal, as well as notify the team when they achieved the record.

After taking all the necessary measurements, Seyda confirmed that Kelkit had produced 6,840 litres (1,807 US gal) of baked beans – and as she announced the title, the entire crowd lit up into energetic applause (perhaps because they knew it was almost time to taste the food)!

“The entire city demonstrated an exceptional effort,” said Seyda. “I was particularly touched by the emotional reaction from the older generation, especially an elderly gentleman who shed tears after the result was announced.”

And the event’s organizers also said that it was a very memorable moment, explaining: “Team members who had worked throughout the night said that the applause made their tiredness disappear.”

They also said that the local farmers and townspeople were especially proud to see Kelkit Şeker Fasulyesi receive international recognition, adding that: “Many attendees said the event made them proud of Kelkit, and showed that their community could achieve something of worldwide significance.”

So congratulations to the incredible region of Kelkit for making bean-story – you are Officially Amazing!