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Let's settle the company position first. All peanuts are the crop of now. The Runner in your peanut butter, the Virginia at the ballpark, the Spanish in your peanut brittle. We stand behind every one of them, and we'll say so in front of an almond.
But every organization has a top tier. Ours is the Valencia peanut: sweeter, rarer and packed with more kernels per shell than any other peanut in America. It's why we chose Valencias for the Crop of Now Reserve, our small-batch peanuts roasted in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Here's the briefing.
What are Valencia peanuts?
Valencia peanuts are one of the four market types of peanut grown in the United States, alongside Runner, Virginia and Spanish. You can spot a Valencia before you taste it:
- Three or more kernels per shell. Most peanuts come two to a pod. Valencias usually pack three or four small kernels into one long shell.
- Bright red skins. The thin skin around each kernel is a deep red.
- A naturally sweet flavor. The American Peanut Council calls them "very sweet peanuts," and it's the first thing people notice.
Most U.S. Valencias grow within about 100 miles of Portales, New Mexico, where the mild, warm, dry climate and sandy soil suit them. A smaller share comes from West Texas.
The four types of peanuts, compared
| Type | Share of U.S. crop | Kernels per shell | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runner | More than 80% | Usually 2, uniform | Most of America's peanut butter |
| Virginia | About 15% | Usually 2, largest | Ballpark in-shell peanuts, gourmet snacks |
| Spanish | About 2% | Usually 2, small | Peanut candy and brittle |
| Valencia | Less than 1% | 3 or more, small | Roasting in the shell, natural peanut butter, boiling |
Less than one percent. If peanuts were a company, the Valencia would be the corner office with a view nobody else gets to see.
Why Valencias are the upper echelon of peanuts
1. More peanut per shell
Crack a Valencia and you get a small row of kernels instead of a pair. It sounds like a small thing until you're eating them by the handful. That's why Valencias are usually roasted and sold in the shell: the shell is part of the experience.
2. Sweet without adding sugar
Valencias have a natural sweetness the other types don't. That's exactly why they're a favorite for all-natural peanut butter: you can grind just peanuts, maybe a little salt, and the jar still tastes rounded and full. The sweetness also stands up to seasoning, which matters when you're building flavors.
3. Genuinely rare
Valencias make up less than one percent of the U.S. peanut crop. Most American farmland goes to Runner peanuts, which yield more and supply the big peanut butter makers. Valencias need a particular place to thrive, and that place is a small stretch of eastern New Mexico and West Texas. You won't find them in most grocery aisles, which is a big part of why so many people have never had one.
4. Grown where peanuts are happiest
Warm, dry air and loose, sandy soil are good conditions for peanuts, which flower above the ground and then push their pods down into the soil to grow. Eastern New Mexico has both, and Valencias mature faster than other types, which suits the region's growing season.
5. Versatile in the kitchen
Valencias roast beautifully in the shell, make outstanding natural peanut butter, and the National Peanut Board calls them excellent for boiled peanuts. One peanut, three very good afternoons.
Valencia vs. Virginia peanuts
The Virginia is the peanut most people picture: big kernels, two to a shell, sold by the bag at the ballpark. It's a fine peanut, and we mean that sincerely. The Valencia is its opposite in almost every way: smaller kernels, more of them per shell, red skins and a noticeably sweeter taste. If the Virginia is built for size, the Valencia is built for flavor.
Why Crop of Now chose Valencias
Our position hasn't changed: peanuts are the crop of now, all of them. But when we decided to put our own name on a bag of peanuts, we wanted the best one available. That's the Valencia. It's why the Reserve line is a premium product and priced like one.
Here's the plan the Board approved:
- Grown in eastern New Mexico, where nearly all of America's Valencias come from.
- Roasted in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in small batches, to our own recipes.
- Seasoned with our own flavors, built around the Valencia's natural sweetness rather than covering it up.
The first batches are in development now. The flavor lineup is under final Board review and will be announced on the Reserve page first.
Valencia peanut FAQ
Are Valencia peanuts sweeter than regular peanuts?
Yes. Sweetness is the Valencia's signature, and it's why they're popular for roasting in the shell and for natural peanut butter.
How many peanuts are in a Valencia shell?
Usually three or more, and often four. Most other peanut types average two.
Where are Valencia peanuts grown?
Mainly in eastern New Mexico, especially around Portales, and in West Texas.
Why are Valencia peanuts hard to find?
They're less than one percent of the U.S. crop and grow in a small region, so there simply aren't many of them compared with Runner and Virginia peanuts.
Are Valencia peanuts good for peanut butter?
They're one of the best choices for all-natural peanut butter, because their sweetness carries the jar without added sugar.
Can you boil Valencia peanuts?
Yes, and they're very good boiled.
- VARIETY
- Valencia
- ORIGIN
- Eastern New Mexico
- ROASTED
- Pottsville, Pennsylvania
- STATUS
- First batches in development
Want to be among the first to try them? Keep an eye on the Crop of Now Reserve. In the meantime, shareholder merchandise is available to demonstrate your position.
Sources
- National Peanut Board, "Did You Know That There Are 4 Different Types of Peanuts?"
- American Peanut Council, "Peanut Types and Production"
- New Mexico State University, "New Mexico Peanut Production" (Circular 645)