Picard's Peanuts
 The sign outside of the Fonthill, Ontario location | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Snack foods |
| Founded | 1979 in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada |
| Founder | Jim Picard Sr. |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | Peanuts and Chip Nuts |
| Owner | Jim Picard Jr. |
| Website | picardpeanuts |
Picard Peanuts Ltd, doing business as Picard's Peanuts, is a Canadian snack food company operating since 1979. It is one of the only retail sellers of Canadian-grown peanuts in Canada. Its owner, Jim Picard Sr., pioneered peanut farming in Canada by establishing peanut production in Norfolk County, Ontario.
History
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Jim Picard Sr. was a farmer from Simcoe who cultivated tobacco and corn before experimenting with peanuts as an alternative to tobacco on the Norfolk Sand Plain of Norfolk County, Ontario.[1][2] Picard sought out support from the University of Guelph's Delhi Research Station for peanut production experiments in Norfolk County.[3][2] The Delhi Research Station in Delhi, Ontario had already been experimenting with peanut production in since 1973.[4]
Following these experiments, Picard and his collaborative researchers determined that large-scale production was not viable in Ontario owing to its short growing seasons.[5][2] However, Picard was able to produce enough peanuts in Ontario for small retail operations, which eventually evolved into establishing Picard's Peanuts in 1979.[3] Contrary to what advertising would suggest, Picard's Peanuts does use imported peanuts in its products to supplement its stock of Ontario-grown peanuts.[6] Valencia peanuts are currently the only type of peanuts that are being commercially produced in Canada and all other types of peanuts sold by Picard's Peanuts are imported.[7]
In 2012, the company was split into two separate companies following a failed succession plan within the Picard family, thereby creating to similar snack food chains, Picard's Peanuts Ltd. owned by the company's founder and his son, Jim Picard Jr. and Picard Foods owned by Picard's son, John, and daughter, Renee. Picard Foods, doing business as Picard's has locations in St. Jacobs, Talbotville, Waterdown, and Niagara-on-the-Lake.[5] The similarity in names and products has led to confusion among customers.[5]
In 2016, a fire broke out at the Norfolk county processing facility, but was swiftly put out by truck driver who happened to notice the fire first.[8]
Operations
[edit]As of 2006, Picard's Peanuts has grown and processed 400,000 lbs of peanuts each year and imports another million pounds from southern U.S. growers.[9] Processing of the peanuts occurs at the plant in a plant in Waterford, Ont.[9]
Products
[edit]Picard's Peanuts produce a variety of different types of peanuts including Cocktail Peanuts, Virginia Redskins, Spanish, and Valencia peanuts.[10] They also produce Chip Nuts, introduced in the early 1990s, which are a deep-fried peanuts covered in potato batter meant to merge potato chips and peanuts.[11] Chip Nuts are closely related to Japanese-style peanuts. Similar to the Chip Nut, they also produce "potato chip covered" sunflower seeds.
Picard's Peanuts also sell a variety of confectioneries including fudge, chocolate, and candy.
Locations
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ↑ Sonnenberg 2022.
- 1 2 3 Hobson & 2025.
- 1 2 Picard's Peanuts 2024.
- ↑ Roy et al. 1980.
- 1 2 3 Daniszewski 2015.
- ↑ Danisewski 2015.
- ↑ Commercial peanut production in Ontario 2024.
- ↑ Norfolk News (Ontario, Canada) 2016.
- 1 2 Kohane 2006.
- ↑ Picard Peanuts Ltd. 2026.
- ↑ Canadian peanut pioneer proud of his family business 2018.
References
[edit]- "Quick-thinking truck driver limits spread of fire at Picard's Peanuts". Norfolk News (Ontario, Canada). 6 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Daniszewski, Hank (Jan 20, 2015). "Sure, there have been family feuds and business splits before. But this one's just nuts . . ". St Thomas-Times Journal. Retrieved Jan 18, 2015.
- Danisewski, Hank (January 18, 2015). "Shell-shocked: Feud divides Ontario peanut family". Toronto Sun. Retrieved Jan 18, 2015.
- "Canadian peanut pioneer proud of his family business". Employment Professionals Canada. November 2, 2018. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- "Commercial peanut production in Ontario". Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. 2024. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- Hobson, David (6 November 2025). "In the Garden: a gift from a squirrel". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- Kohane, Jack (May 2006). "Delivering the Goods". Food in Canada. 66 (4). Annex Publishing & Printing, Inc.: 57–59.
- "Our History Timeline". Picard's Peanuts. 2024.
- Roy, R. C.; Tanner, J. W.; Hatley, O. E.; Elliott, J. M. (April 1980). "Agronomic aspects of peanut (arachis hypogaea l.) production in ontario". Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 60 (2). NRC Research Press: 679–686.
- Sonnenberg, Monte (April 24, 2022). "John Picard, 60, was pioneer of value-added agriculture". Simcoe Reformer. Retrieved Jan 18, 2015.
- "Picard Peanuts Ltd". Wellington County Business Directory. 2026. Retrieved 2026-04-20.