Beatriz Ball

A New Orleans luxury tableware company built around founder Beatriz Ball's sand-cast metalware — produced in a dedicated Mexican foundry by nearly 100 artisans using methods that haven't fundamentally changed since the Greeks and Romans first used them.

Founded

1991

Headquarters

Harvey, Louisiana (New Orleans area)

Founder & Creative Director

Beatriz Ball (Cuban-born)

Manufacturing

Dedicated foundry in Mexico

Foundry team

~100 artisans

Process

Sand-cast aluminum, 4 polishing stages, 12+ artisans per piece

Awards

6x ARTS Award for Tabletop excellence

Notable recognition

Oprah's Favorite Things 2017

The story

The Cuban-born designer Beatriz Ball started the company in 1991, working alongside skilled metalware artisans on the outskirts of Mexico City to develop new designs in a proprietary metal alloy — one that resembles silver in color and luster but requires no polishing, suited to casual entertaining rather than the formal-silver service traditions the alloy was meant to replace. Many of the metalworkers from that early period are still part of the company's foundry today.

Ball divides her time between New Orleans and Mexico City, leading both the design process and the relationship with the artisans who execute it. The company's annual revenue reached approximately $17.8 million in 2026, with about 16 staff in the New Orleans office and the larger production team in Mexico.

What they make

The signature line is sand-cast aluminum metalware — serving platters, bowls, frames, candlesticks, ice buckets, hearts, and centerpieces — produced one piece at a time using the ancient sand-casting process: molten alloy poured into sand molds, then carried through four progressive polishing stages. The visual result reads as silver but the price point makes it accessible for everyday entertaining.

The catalog has expanded substantially beyond pure metalware. The VIDA Collection renders many of the brand's signature designs in luxury melamine and acrylic for outdoor and casual use. Sub-collections include Havana, Nube (cloud-like, satin-matte, like bisque-fired ceramics), Allegria, Sierra, Sierra Modern, Encanto, Soho, and Vento. The brand also produces glass, linens, and placemats.

How they sell

Distribution is wholesale through specialty tabletop, gift, and home retailers via the partners.beatrizball.com B2B e-commerce platform launched in 2020. Minimum opening orders run $950 for metal and $500 for melamine; reorders are $350 metal and $200 melamine. The company is also distributed through Ivystone, a major U.S. specialty rep group serving high-end gift and tabletop retailers.

The Tableware International Award of Excellence at Ambiente in Frankfurt for the VIDA Nube collection (Outdoor Tableware category) confirmed the brand's international position.

Why they're worth knowing

For specialty tabletop retailers and bridal-registry programs, Beatriz Ball occupies a distinctive position: handmade artisanal metalware at a price point well below sterling but with the visual presence and giftability of fine silver. The eco story (the alloy is sustainable, eco-friendly, and recycled), the Cuban-American founder narrative, and the awards record give the brand a credibility that supports retail price points in the $50-300 range comfortably.

The VIDA melamine extension has opened up the brand to a broader retail audience — outdoor entertaining, casual hosts, beach and resort markets — without diluting the metalware credentials. For retailers building a destination tabletop department, Beatriz Ball is one of the more reliable signature lines in the category.

Where to find them

• Wholesale site: partners.beatrizball.com
• Consumer site: beatrizball.com
• Headquarters: Harvey, Louisiana
• Distribution: Ivystone, plus direct wholesale
• Trade show presence: Atlanta Market, Las Vegas Market, NY NOW, Ambiente Frankfurt

Profile based on public information from Beatriz Ball's official sites, the Tableware International coverage of the wholesale site launch and Ambiente award, and Ivystone's brand page. Updated October 2024. Return to all profiles →