As nut products continue to show strong growth in the snack category, flavored pecans have emerged as a consumer favorite, driving intentional and impulse sales at grocers, convenience stores and retailers.
Pecan Nation and South Georgia Pecan Company, both multi-generational Georgia pecan companies, have recently joined forces in a move that will expand production, ensure quality, and increase efficiencies to better serve their retail partners and foster continued growth.
Georgia is the largest supplier of pecans in the nation – producing one-third of the pecans enjoyed in the U.S. each year. Pecan Nation has been a leader in growing and marketing pecans for over five generations. South Georgia Pecan, which operates facilities in Georgia and Texas, is the largest pecan sheller in the world, and has developed proprietary processes for developing and processing flavored pecans.
“Combining forces with South Georgia Pecan is a massive boost for our brand because it enables us to continue evolving and expanding, while remaining true to the rich history of our delicious pecans,” said Will McGehee, Partner, Pecan Nation. “We think this is a model other farming companies will be interested in as it allows each company to bring its strengths to the partnership, creating an operational juggernaut that will allow us to effectively compete with large CPG companies.”
(L-R) Will McGehee, Duke Lane III, Jeff Worn, Nick Quast, Kent Hoots
The partnership between these two industry powerhouses creates a best-in-class collaboration where growers are more closely tied to processors to deliver unrivaled quality products to grocery, convenience and hardware stores as well as other untapped channels. This total category approach expands Pecan Nation’s capabilities, positioning them to proactively introduce a variety of innovative snacks to the category, and more nimbly react to the needs dictated by the market. The added capacity ensures a consistently available supply of healthy, flavorful snacks.
“Since its inception, Pecan Nation has been emphatic about having the most flavorful pecans around,” said Duke Lane III, Partner, Pecan Nation. “Our partnership with South Georgia Pecan allows our brand to remain at the forefront of flavor and innovation while keeping our pecans affordable and always available for consumers.”
“I’ve known the people at Pecan Nation for years and long admired their work and impact on this industry,” said Jeff Worn, President and CEO, South Georgia Pecan Company. “They have an ambitious vision for our industry and Pecan Nation has changed the game by moving pecans from being primarily a baking ingredient to becoming a significant part of the snack category. Our businesses are well aligned with similar business values, and by coming together, we will elevate Pecan Nation into the undisputed leader of pecans for the snack nut category.”
“This alliance underscores Pecan Nation’s approach and exemplifies the collaborative spirit that we bring to our retail and distributing partners every day,” said Nick Quast, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Pecan Nation. “Today we are available across 15,000 outlets, and our partnership with South Georgia Pecan allows us to strategically build out a larger footprint in the snacking category while staying true to the quality of our pecans.”
As the No. 1 snacking pecan brand with a more than 25% three-year CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate), Pecan Nation can be found online and in snacking aisles at thousands of grocery, convenience and hardware stores around the country. The alignment of Pecan Nation and South Georgia Pecan bridges a divide between the grower, processor, and marketer enabling both companies to bring an unsurpassed level of expertise and industry history together under the Pecan Nation name.
For more information on Pecan Nation visit ThePecanNation.com.
For more information on South Georgia Pecan Company visit GeorgiaPecan.com.
About Pecan Nation
Pecan Nation has been growing, harvesting and cooking America’s native nut for five generations, perfecting our process along the way to bring consumers the tastiest pecans around. We offer our delicious pecans in a variety of sweet and savory flavors as well as multiple convenient pack sizes that everyone can enjoy for any occasion. All products are available at ThePecanNation.com, on Amazon, and in snacking aisles at grocery, convenience and hardware stores around the country.
About South Georgia Pecan
Celebrating over a century in business, South Georgia Pecan attributes its longevity to continuous adaptation and innovation within our ever-evolving industry. We are more than just pecans; our commitment to excellence, profound industry knowledge, and extensive experience are evident from the initial customer interaction. Tradition resonates deeply in our values, reflected in how we cherish relationships with growers and customers alike. Experience the exceptional flavors and quality of SGP at our website, georgiapecan.com.
