Some companies have been in the industry for so long that they become synonymous with snacking. Such is the case with John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., based in Elgin, IL, and its longstanding nut business of nearly 100 years.
The company’s roots trace back to the early days of the 20th century, with a father and son newly arrived from Sicily who established a small pecan shelling business. Today, John B. Sanfilippo & Son—led by fourth generation Jeffrey Sanfilippo as CEO—is a global, vertically structured nut company with sales of over $888 million for fiscal 2018. Its Orchard Valley Harvest brand has shown significant year-over-year growth, and its Fisher Nuts brand has seen a strong resurgence over the past year with the Oven Roasted Never Fried line debut. The company also diversified its indulgent offerings via acquisition of Squirrel Brand in 2017.