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Valentine’s Day may be over, but peanut butter is the way to my heart. It turns out that I’m not alone because National Peanut Butter Lovers Day is celebrated on March 1. Peanut butter is one of America’s favorite foods, and Arkansas has a unique connection to this creamy spread. It’s a perfect time to look at Arkansas’s peanut heritage and the homegrown companies that bring peanut butter from farm to table.
Older Arkansan’s likely remember peanuts growing on their grandparents’ farm, but they had pretty much disappeared by the 1980s. Peanuts had to be shipped off to Georgia or other out-of-state locations for processing, so rice, corn and soybeans that were processed in-state became the state’s major cash crops.
Peanuts were reintroduced in Arkansas around 2010 as farmers sought new cash crops. The Arkansas Delta’s sandy soils and irrigation proved ideal for peanuts, and acreage has soared to over 47,000 acres in 2025. The 2025 annual yield was 235,000,000 pounds or roughly 5000 pound per acre.
With peanuts now firmly part of Arkansas agriculture, it’s no surprise that peanut butter production is also thriving here. In fact, much of the peanut harvest ends up in peanut butter jars and snacks made nearby. Let’s take a look at several Arkansas-based peanut and peanut butter companies, followed by a look at some beloved local peanut butter treats and recipes.
Delta Peanut – Jonesboro
Delta Peanut, which opened in 2020, is a farmer-owned peanut shelling facility built to give local growers a bigger stake in the process. Before it opened, farmers here had to send their harvested peanuts off to shelling plants in faraway places like Georgia or Texas. Now they can do it close to home, saving hundreds of miles in shipping and the costs that go with it.
This state-of-the-art plant can handle well over 100,000 tons of peanuts every year. They don’t jar peanut butter at Delta Peanut, but they shell peanuts that are shipped to other nearby plants for peanut butter, snacks, candy and more, supplying the peanuts that end up in all those products we love. One of the coolest things about this plant is that almost nothing goes to waste. Those peanut shells that get cracked off? They’re put to good use as livestock bedding or added into animal feed. Even peanuts that break during shelling find new life, getting mixed into bird seed or processed for peanut oil.
Skippy – Little Rock
A lot of people are surprised to learn that one of America’s most recognizable peanut butter brands is made right here in Arkansas. The Skippy Peanut Butter plant in Little Rock has been producing peanut butter since the late 1970s, and it’s now one of the brand’s main manufacturing facilities.
Every week, millions of pounds of peanut butter roll out of that plant. Creamy, chunky, and specialty varieties are all made right here. With Arkansas peanut acreage growing in recent years, the connection between local farms and that familiar blue lid feels even stronger. There’s a good chance the jar in your pantry began on a farm field in the Arkansas Delta.
Peanut Butter & Co. – Northeast Arkansas
Peanut Butter & Co. may not have started in Arkansas, but it chose Northeast Arkansas as home for one very important reason: peanuts. The company operates its own peanut farm in the Delta, growing high-oleic peanuts that are prized for flavor and longer shelf life.
Those Arkansas-grown peanuts help supply their line of creative peanut butter flavors you’ve probably seen on grocery shelves. Think chocolate swirls, honey blends and other fun twists on the classic spread. It’s a great example of how Arkansas farmland is quietly supporting specialty peanut butter brands across the country.
Natural Way Food Group – Fayetteville
Natural Way is a true Arkansas original. Founded in Fayetteville by two brothers who wanted a cleaner, healthier peanut butter, this company set out to do things differently.
Their peanut butter skips the palm oil and instead uses olive oil, along with simple ingredients and very little added sugar. The result is a smooth, natural spread that feels just a little more wholesome without sacrificing flavor. They’ve grown from local farmers’ markets to national distribution, but they’re still rooted in Northwest Arkansas. It’s peanut butter with a purpose, made by Arkansans who saw a gap on the shelf and filled it.
Peanut Butter Lovers’ Favorites
Here in Arkansas, we don’t just grow and manufacture peanuts; we love to eat peanut butter in all kinds of treats! Many local cafés and diners incorporate peanut butter into decadent desserts and drinks that peanut butter lovers adore.
One favorite is peanut butter pie. In fact, peanut butter pie is something of an Arkansas specialty, found everywhere from barbecue joints to high-end bakeries. It’s also a favorite for making at home. “What’s Cookin’ at First Security Vol. 2” features a Peanut Butter Cream Pie recipe that is dangerously delicious – a cool, no-bake pie with a creamy peanut butter filling in a graham cracker crust. It’s the kind of dessert that reminds you of church potlucks and grandma’s kitchen. Grab the recipe here.
Photo courtesy of Chit Chat Chew Cafe.
Peanut butter is also the star in milkshakes served at spots like the Dairy Dip Diner in Van Buren or The Purple Cow in Little Rock. It’s a rich, satisfying treat for those hot Arkansas summers or a perfect partner to a burger and fries. And speaking of burgers, Arkansas has been known to experiment with peanut butter on burgers. Check out the PN& J Smash or the Elvis TCB Smash, which features a combination of peanut butter, banana and bacon at Chit Chat Chew Cafe in Searcy.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Arkansans find endless ways to use peanut butter, from cookies to brownies to fudge. Check out your local bakeries and diners and you’re sure to find a handful of delicious treats featuring peanut butter.
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