My parents grew up in Virginia—a place famous for producing some of the finest peanuts in the world. Virginia peanuts stand out as the gourmet choice, prized for their impressive size, crisp texture, and rich, roasted flavor. They thrive in the sandy soil of southeastern Virginia and are often prepared in small batches, which ensures exceptional quality and consistency. In the early 2000s, my mom began selling Virginia peanuts, and over time, it became more than a side business—it became a cherished family tradition.

Every Christmas, our whole family would come together to help with the holiday rush. I vividly remember sitting in the living room with my brother for hours, carefully applying labels to peanut cans one by one. We didn’t mind the work—because we knew that the more cans we labeled, the more presents would appear under the tree.

Those memories sparked an idea—if people came back year after year to buy peanuts from my mom, no matter what, why couldn’t I sell them too? Even though I was living in Georgia at the time—rival peanut territory—I knew there was a market. I had seen firsthand how products branded around Georgia’s beloved “Dawgs” could fly off the shelves. So I thought, why not the Mercer Bears? And just like that, the name Bear Food was born.