Hampton County peanut company moving production into South Carolina

Listen to this article

Luray is bringing home the peanuts.

Luray Peanut Co., a producer of packaged boiled peanuts, plans to expand its operations in Hampton County. The company’s $5.25 million investment will create 16 new jobs, according to a news release from the South Carolina Commerce Department.

Luray Peanut Co.’s original recipe and Cajun boiled peanut products are available for purchase in convenience stores, grocery stores and stadiums.

The company is headquartered in Hampton County but production was at an out-of-state location, according to a South Carolina Agriculture Department spokesperson.

Located at 973 Main Street in Varnville, Luray Peanut Co. is moving a portion of its current manufacturing to South Carolina to expand its footprint and allow for the production of new product lines, the news release stated.

“We are looking forward to moving a portion of our business into South Carolina,” Luray Peanut Co. CEO Lauren Marcinkoski said in the release. “This will allow us to be able to create and expand on new and existing product lines. We are grateful for the continued support from the South Carolina Department of Commerce. We look forward to bringing our peanut products home.”

The expansion is expected to be complete by December 2024.

“Luray was already a South Carolina agribusiness success story, and by moving their processing in-house and into the state, they’re creating new opportunities for South Carolina peanut producers,” Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers said in the release. ‘We’re proud to support this important step forward for a local business.” 

The fresh frozen boiled peanuts are packaged in a poly-weave film bag that can be microwaved, boiled or stored in a warming oven, according to an announcement earlier this year when the product landed in some new retail centers. The was named the official peanut of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars as well as the Charleston Riverdogs. Their loose frozen product is currently sold at Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Ingles, IGA, and Parker’s Convenience stores, as well as dozens of independent markets across the Southeast.

Luray Peanut Co. was founded in 2019 by Corrin Fitts Bowers, a peanut farmer in Luray. He and Marcinkoski partnered together to bring his vision of a scalable boiled peanut product to fruition. Marcinkoski was named CEO of the company in November of 2021, and with the help of Chief Operating Officer James Brown, the company created a product that can be produced in high volumes. The first bags were distributed to stores in March of 2022, and since then Luray Peanut Company has rolled out its boiled peanut product in hundreds of stores across the Southeast.

“We are thrilled to see the response to our fresh frozen boiled peanuts,” Marcinkoski said in the release. “Our team has worked hard to perfect our recipe and packaging, and we’re excited to bring a healthy and delicious
snack option to consumers.”

Governor Henry McMaster said he welcomed the company’s growth within the state.

“Boiled peanuts have long been a staple of South Carolina culture, and we welcome Luray Peanut Co.’s additional business,” McMaster said in the release.