News / Party of Hive

Some of the best businesses are born at the intersection of necessity and love. For Maggie Lilly, Queen Bee and founder of Party of Hive Granola, that intersection was her kitchen table in Savannah, Georgia.

A Busy Hive

Party of Hive gets its name from exactly what it sounds like — the busy, energetic, always-hungry household of Maggie Lilly, her husband Jay, and their three children John, Julia, and Louisa. Their party of five is always on the go, and as Maggie puts it, seemingly always hungry.


Photo courtesy of @maggie_c_lilly on Instagram.

As a health-conscious parent and lifelong athlete who spent years coaching health and fitness, Maggie was constantly navigating the tension between convenience and nutrition. Post-game drive-thrus. Concession stand fare. Pre-packaged snacks. None of it sat well with someone who believed deeply that food should fuel, nourish, and bring joy.

So she turned to the one place she always found solace and creativity — the kitchen.

From Italy to Savannah

Maggie's culinary journey actually began long before Party of Hive. In 2006, while working toward a Health Science degree, she participated in a college field trip to Italy to study the fundamentals of Mediterranean nutrition and cuisine. That experience changed everything.

When she returned to Savannah, the memories of that trip inspired her to focus even more intentionally on cooking and baking. Over the years she built what she describes as "quite a library of fun and healthy recipes," constantly experimenting and refining at every opportunity — including large family gatherings with audiences that had the highest expectations.

It was at that delicate crossroads of healthy and delicious that the idea of baking granola was born.

The Granola That Started It All

Photo courtesy of Partyofhive.com

At first it was a hobby. Maggie began bringing her homemade granola to the staff and students at Blessed Sacrament School where her children attended. The reception was immediate and overwhelming. People couldn't get enough.

That enthusiastic response prompted Maggie to take the leap into cottage industry. She applied for and was granted a Cottage Food License with the Georgia Department of Agriculture — and Party of Hive was officially born.

What followed was truly a family affair. As Maggie focused on recipes and baking, her husband and children jumped in as tasters, package designers, and marketing and delivery experts. Extended family members rallied around the mission too. A party of five with the creativity and energy of fifty, as Maggie describes it.

From Cottage Kitchen to Commercial Kitchen

As demand grew beyond what a home kitchen could handle, Maggie made the next bold move — finding and securing a commercial-grade kitchen and obtaining a Commercial Food License. This allowed Party of Hive to meet market demands and expand into retail stores across Georgia and North Carolina.

In 2020 she officially launched Party of Hive to the broader public, earning community recognition along the way including a Cecilia Russo Marketing Grant — which she used to build a website and expand her wholesale distribution.

Today Party of Hive granola is available in multiple flavors including the original OG, Lemon Blueberry, Cherry Almond, Mint Chocolate, and Peanut Butter — each one made with local Georgia honey, certified gluten-free oats, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pure extracts. No artificial preservatives. No shortcuts. Just wholesome, handcrafted granola made in small batches with real ingredients.

What Makes Party of Hive Special

Beyond the ingredients, what truly sets Party of Hive apart is Maggie's unwavering commitment to her mission — bringing joy and nourishment to families everywhere, one bite at a time.

"I believe that food is more than just sustenance," Maggie says. "It's a source of joy, comfort, and deliciousness."

That philosophy shows up in every bag. The Lemon Blueberry granola — our personal favorite and part of the Georgia Crafted Lemon & Sunshine Collection — is a perfect example. Bright, sweet, tart, and perfectly crunchy, it's made with gluten-free oats, hemp seeds, shredded coconut, dried blueberries, local Georgia honey, and just the right touch of lemon. It's incredible on yogurt, vanilla ice cream, or straight out of the bag at any hour of the day.

You can find Party of Hive Lemon Blueberry Granola in several of our breakfast gift boxes — perfect for gifting to anyone who deserves a wholesome, Georgia-made morning.