Better Know a Vendor: Whitley's Peanut Factory!

Hey RVA!

​Love Whitley's Peanuts? You can find their Salted and Honey Roasted peanuts in our RVA to Go Boxes - or a Trail Mix. Yum! 

Today, we're interviewing them for our Better Know a Vendor series...

---

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!!  

The Whitley's sign goes up in 1986!

Ha, that's true! What got your going in the peanut business?

Whether my dad was cooking small batches in our family kitchen or running the then-called Whitley’s Peanut Company, my family has always been closely tied to the peanut industry. In 1986, my father and brother opened the doors of Whitley’s Peanut Factory, which still stands to this day as a retail store off Route 17 in Gloucester, VA. ​

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.

Todd Smith & his brother, Craig Smith

Whitley's Peanut Factory's Gloucester location (1990s)

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!​

What’s your favorite part about Richmond?

Richmond is a growing city and has a lot of potential for customers who would enjoy our products. We love that the Richmond community really cultivates a culture of diverse foods and takes notice of the craft that goes into specialty-made products. ​

We love that, too! Thanks for chatting, Todd!

Todd Smith

---

Speaking of specially-made food products, don't forget to add Whitley's Peanuts to your next RVA to Go box. 

ORDER NOW