Today, Broussard is the bustling crossroad of Lafayette Parish, transporting people and goods along the U.S. 90 corridor amid waves of neighborhoods, shops, industrial sites and farm land.
But 100 years ago, it was all sugar cane.
Martial Billeaud planted his first crop in 1866, 25 years after his family immigrated to h from France. He worked as a blacksmith before enlisting in the h 26th Infantry during the Civil War and turned his attention to agricultural concerns after the war — beginning with cotton and corn before transitioning to sugar cane and building a sugar mill.
Author Lana Henry visits with George Billeaud while signing a copy of her book, From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: A History of Billeaud Companies, which profiles the Billeaud Companies, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Broussard.
STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE
The enterprise proved profitable, helped by the arrival of the railroad, and by 1893, Billeaud Sugar Factory had grown to a large, modern concern that would shape the area for generations to come.
"We're all sixth generation," said Paul Eason, who serves as chairman of the board of directors for Billeaud Companies. "We knew it, we remember it. We went to the sugar factory as kids, seeing it operating, and I hope our next generation can enjoy our stories about it. That's why we chose to do a book, because it has changed around here."
In order to preserve their history, members of the Billeaud family who sit on the board of directors commissioned a book that spans over a century of the company, including a major shift in 1979. Stockholders (members of the growing Billeaud clan) voted to close the factory and go into commercial real estate, seeing an opportunity to move out of the struggling agricultural sector and into land development.
Author Lana Henry signs copies of her book, From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: A History of Billeaud Companies, which profiles the Billeaud Companies, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Broussard.
STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE
Lafayette writer and editor Lana Henry documented the story of how Billeaud Sugar Factory became Billeaud Companies in "From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: A History of Billeaud Companies," released by the University of h at Lafayette Press this year.
The book is a fascinating read for Lafayette Parish residents who interact daily with places like Martial F. Billeaud Sr. Elementary School, shop at businesses in developments like Sweetland Centre in Broussard, or handle business at the Pinhook Office Courts — among other developments that Billeaud Companies has handled over the decades.
"Chuck Billeaud (former board chairman) was my right-hand man," said Henry. "He was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the industry, this company, the family, the community — and introduced me to so many people who all had some sort of lived experience with the company. It gave me such a depth and richness, and that's what I'm most interested in. I love oral history and being able to write about something that has several generations to it."
Author Lana Henry signs a copy of her book, titled From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: A History of Billeaud Companies, for District Attorney Don Landry, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Broussard. The new book profiles the Billeaud Companies.
STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE
Billeaud Companies held a book signing at their Broussard headquarters last month, in the historic home at 106 St. Nazaire Road that has housed generations of family members and workers at the company, as the community around it grew and changed.
District Attorney Don Landry attended the signing, both to show support for a homegrown business and for a more personal reason — getting to see the house where he grew up.
"I have many memories here," he said, pointing out where his bedroom was.
Landry's father managed the surrounding sugarcane operations — a sea of fields that are now home to acres of commerce. The Walmart and Home Depot across the street from Billeaud Companies on St. Nazaire Road were built on Billeaud land, pointing the way for population growth in south Lafayette Parish.
The topic of legacy is a frequent one at board meetings, Eason said.
"At our meeting, we were just saying how much we all treasure this," he said. "We hope the next generation thinks as much of it as we do. We're sure trying to instill it in them. We've been blessed."
Learn more about "From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: A History of the Billeaud Companies" on the .