Good Food, Good Friends & Good Stories

For Retail Manager Carney Anderson, no two days at Renfroe are quite the same. One day might bring a conversation with a first-time visitor to one of our Pensacola Gift Shops; another might find him sharing the Renfroe story at a community event. And during baseball season, you’ll find him at the local ballpark, where game days bring a whole different kind of energy.

There’s Something About Game Day

There’s an unmistakable energy when people gather to cheer for their team. During baseball season, Carney sees it firsthand while working security at Pensacola's Blue Wahoos Stadium. Families arrive together. Friends meet up after work. Kids come decked out in their team gear. And sometimes complete strangers find themselves celebrating together when something exciting happens on the field.

Carney says one of his favorite parts of working at the stadium is seeing the reaction to Renfroe products — and how the aroma gets people's attention before they even reach the stand. “The smell of the Bavarian-style nuts cooking carries all the way to the parking lot and onto the field,” he says. 

One night stands out in particular. “One of the most exciting nights was when the fans celebrated Renfroe Pecans. Fans came up and told me how much they love our product.” But for Carney, game day is about more than what happens on the field. “You can tell the fans are there to have a good time with family and friends. I’m glad to be a part of making their family experience everything they hoped it would be.”

Everyone Who Walks Through the Door Has a Story

Working in our retail stores gives Carney another perspective: meeting the people who come through our doors. Some live right around the corner, while others are visiting the Gulf Coast from hundreds — sometimes thousands — of miles away. Some discover Renfroe for the first time on vacation; others make us a regular stop whenever they return to Pensacola. Recently, Carney started asking customers a simple question: Where are you from, and what brought you to Renfroe?

One especially memorable visit brought four generations of the same family through our doors — a mother, daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter from The Villages near Orlando. “It was their first time in the store, and they were fascinated by everything they found at Renfroe,” Carney says.

Another day brought Bob and Carol, a couple visiting from Tennessee who had also never been to a Renfroe store. “They were such nice people and were really impressed with our products,” he recalls.

For Carney, encounters like these are part of what makes working in the stores special — meeting people from so many different places and discovering what brought them through our doors.

Sharing the Renfroe Story Around Pensacola

Those conversations don't happen only inside our stores. Carney also represents Renfroe at local Chamber events, where he has the opportunity to tell our story. Since 1931, J.W. Renfroe Pecan Company has grown and changed, but our connection to Pensacola and the people who have supported our family business through the years remains an important part of our story.

For Carney, sharing the Renfroe story starts with its history. “I enjoy telling people how Renfroe Pecan Company started, how long the business has been established, and how long we’ve been serving customers in our area,” he says. “It’s fascinating to see how the business has evolved over the years.” He also enjoys sharing a few things people may not know about pecans. “People are surprised to learn how many different varieties of pecans there are. It’s not just one type, and they get a chance to see the differences between them.”

But what means the most to Carney is hearing what the Renfroe name means to people in the community. “Our name and reputation are strong in this area. Customers tell me how much they enjoy our products and appreciate how long Renfroe has been serving them. When I mention Renfroe and someone says, ‘I love Renfroe,’ I love hearing that.”

Enjoy the Season We're In

A baseball stadium. A Chamber gathering. A Renfroe Gift Shop. For Carney, these seemingly different parts of his job all have something in common: good food, good friends, and people coming together.

September gives us plenty of reasons to do just that. Baseball is still going strong, football is back, school activities are underway, and there are friends to gather with and new people to meet. Whether it’s watching a game, a backyard get-together, or simply an evening around the table, sometimes all you need is something good to snack on and people you enjoy sharing it with.

So enjoy the season we're in. Make a few new memories — and maybe collect a good story or two of your own. Because sometimes the best traditions aren't complicated at all.

Gather. Cheer. Snack. Repeat.

Planning your own game day or get-together? Find something good to share in our Snack Mix collection.