In 1973, the Riddick families (twin brothers, Bob and Bill and their wives) opened The Peanut Patch. The original concept was to have a furniture stripping business where individuals could bring their antiques and have them refinished. Since this required an individual to be present every day to accept furniture, it was only natural that there |
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be a gift shoppe. The Riddicks chose to house their operation in a turn of the century building on Main Street in Courtland, Virginia. Oddly enough, this same building had once been the general mercantile store owned by the twin's grandfather. The Riddicks were able to find over 300 craftsmen who sold their handicrafts in the shop on consignment.
Southampton County, where the shop was located, was one of the world's largest peanut producing counties. At that time, one could travel through the county and not know where to purchase a bag of peanuts. The Riddicks decided at that time to sell Virginia peanuts and promote them worldwide. Hence, the name - The Peanut Patch.
One could visit this unique shop and have a variety of experiences. Visitors could journey through the upstairs antique section, browse through the pig and peanut displays, take a class in decoupage, or sit around the potbellied stove in rocking chairs eating a ham biscuit and drinking a coca-cola. It was and is a business of family and friends.
The Peanut Patch began roasting, packaging, and selling their own brand of Virginia peanuts in 1980. Virginia type peanuts are known for their large size and crunchy flavor. We roast ours in pure peanut oil to ensure their healthful qualities and to maintain their peanut flavor. In 1984, The Peanut Patch decided to take their peanuts national and were the first peanut company to exhibit at the National Association of the Specialty Food Trade's Fancy Food Show in New York.
The idea that peanuts were a "gourmet" or "specialty" food was amusing for some people. But, they stopped laughing when they tasted our Virginia Peanuts. "Wow! Those are GOOD peanuts," they'd say and reach for another handful. Since then we have been awarded many NASFT Silver Chefs - two in 1992, and one each in 2000 and 2004 - for Outstanding Hors d'Oeuvre or Snack Food and for Outstanding Classic honoring our "gourmet" Virginia peanuts.
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In 1994, The Peanut Patch moved from the quaint turn of the century building in downtown Courtland to Rt. 58 bypass. Aside from having a few extras such as air conditioning, this move has had a major impact on our business success. We are conveniently located between Virginia
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Beach, Virginia and Interstate 85 and 95 and attract travelers from all over the country.
In 2000, Judy and Bob's daughters, Jane and Alice and their husbands Ted and Paul came home to help continue to run the business. As the company has grown, so has our vision. A few years ago we made the decision to reposition our company for future growth. We wanted to expand our specialty food lines and to market more effectively in the US and other countries. That included rebranding all of our products.
We created a brand name with special meaning to our family because it contains a piece of our names. Alice and Paul ShafFER, Judy and Bob RIDdick, and Jane and Ted FrIES. Put them together and you have FERIDIES (pronounced fa-RID-eez).
The new packaging and name have been market-tested by a nationally recognized company. Through an extensive interview process consumers and retailers individually critiqued several design options. The fresh clean graphics and colors reflect the characteristics of the brand and company...an artisan, gourmet feel with the warmth and trust of a family owned business. Wow!
On January 19, 2005 Chairman of the Board and founder of The Peanut Patch, Bob Riddick, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. We are happy to say that he was a part of the planning process, was excited about the future of FERIDIES and was proud of everything that had been accomplished.
The Riddick family thanks our customers for your continued support and patronage over the years as you have support The Peanut Patch. We look forward to working with you to grow the FERIDIES brand as you too grow your business.
Our qualified staff are here to help you in any way. Our mission has and continues to be promoting Virginia peanuts - by selling them worldwide, by educating the public about the healthful qualities of peanuts, and by leading their promotion in the gourmet food industry. The success of FERIDIES/formerly The Peanut Patch lies in providing our customers with the best peanuts,new and exciting gourmet foods and efficient, dependable, genuine customer service.
We take pleasure in serving you and in creating exciting gifts. As always, we welcome your suggestions and comments.
The Riddick Family |
