Meet Todd Smith, President of Whitley's Peanut Factory... and son of the original founder. Thanks for joining us, Todd! To start with, where does the Whitley name come from anyway? My father was in business with a gentleman whose last name was Whitley. He started that company back in the 1950s, and it was called Whitley Peanut Company. So, when my dad and brother decided to open a new peanut processing company, they went with the name Whitley. It’s a lot more interesting and catchy than Smith!!
At the time they opened, they had only one small batch roaster with three employees cooking and roasting peanuts in the back of the store. Due to the quick growth of the company and high demand for the famous Whitley’s Virginia peanuts, they opened a second location in Williamsburg, VA and a new production facility in Hayes, VA. I’m now the owner of Whitley’s Peanut Factory and am excited for the opportunity to continue my family’s legacy of roasting peanuts to golden perfection. What are the principles, values, or motto behind your business? Ever since my dad started cooking peanuts in our family kitchen, we have never wavered from our mission to maintain the same quality and consistency in all our products. Whitley’s has grown over the years by keeping to this philosophy and building a culture of dedicated employees who value our same vision. Thanks to the Richmond community and beyond, we continue to expand our offerings of great tasting products that they will savor for years to come.
What impact do you want to have on the Richmond community? We would love to reach new people in the Richmond community while also developing lifetime relationships with our current customers. What has been your most satisfying moment in business? Just watching the company grow over the course of 30 years. From where we started to where it stands now gives me great joy!
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