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,” says Will McGehee, partner, Pecan Nation.
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," says 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,” says 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,” says 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 a level of expertise and industry history together under the Pecan Nation name.
