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The Beginning of Bear Food

Bear Food began as a humble side venture to help cover college expenses—what started as a small hustle quickly grew into a gourmet food company with a remarkable story.

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Mercer University Bears 2018

Basketball has always been a deep passion of mine, and achieving the dream of becoming a Division I athlete was one of my proudest accomplishments. It took years of dedication—countless hours of practice, tournaments, weight training, workouts, and more ice packs than I can count. Along the way, I built lifelong memories and formed meaningful relationships. For years, my entire world revolved around the game. But in the spring of 2018, that chapter came to a close, and it was time to move on.

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What Next?

The looming question now was: What am I going to do? I was approaching the end of my sophomore year at Mercer University, and for the first time, I had no clear path forward. I needed to find a way to pay for school—but a part-time job at Chick-fil-A wasn’t going to cover the costs. I considered transferring to a state school, but the thought of leaving behind the friendships, community, and memories I had already built didn’t sit right with me. I knew I had to find a way to stay.

And so, Bear Food was born.
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The Inspiration

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Why Virginia Peanuts?

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.
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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.

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Food for Bears??

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.


A Family Business with a Bigger Purpose

While building Bear Food, I knew I wanted it to be about more than just designing a label and selling a product—I wanted it to reflect something deeply personal. That’s where my best friend and older brother, Miller, comes in. Miller has Down Syndrome. He had just graduated high school and, like so many young adults with disabilities, was struggling to find a clear path forward. Miller is smart, strong, funny, and an incredible dancer, but unlike me, he hadn’t been given a natural springboard into adulthood, like college.
Sadly, his experience is far too common. Over 80% of individuals with disabilities in America are unemployed. I wanted Bear Food to be part of changing that. From my own experiences, I’ve seen that many of these young adults simply need direction, encouragement, and opportunity. That’s why we’ve partnered with Rainbow Express Ministries, a local organization committed to empowering young adults of all abilities.
Through Rainbow Express, we support job training, skill development, and meaningful experiences that help young adults grow, build friendships, and contribute their gifts to the world.

Thank you

Over the years, Bear Food has experienced incredible growth. What began as a simple effort to sell peanuts out of a college dorm room has evolved into a full-scale gourmet food company, now featured in over 500 stores nationwide. Along the way, we’ve deepened our partnership with Rainbow Express Ministries, strengthened our roots in the city of Matthews, and, with great excitement, opened our very own gourmet food store in November 2022.
Thank you for being part of our journey—we’re grateful for your support and hope you enjoy every bite of Bear Food!
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