Company Description
John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (NASDAQ: JBSS) is a manufacturing company based in Elgin, Illinois that focuses on the processing, packaging, marketing and distribution of nut and dried fruit products, snack bars and dried cheese snacks. The company operates in the roasted nuts and peanut butter manufacturing industry and participates broadly in the snack food category through both branded and private brand offerings.
According to company disclosures, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. is a processor, packager, marketer and distributor of nut and dried fruit-based products, bars and dried cheese snacks that are sold under its own brands and under a variety of private brands. Its branded portfolio includes the Fisher, Orchard Valley Harvest, Squirrel Brand, Southern Style Nuts and Just the Cheese brand names. In addition to consumer-facing products, the company reports activity in commercial ingredients and contract manufacturing channels, reflecting a presence beyond retail-branded items.
Business activities and product focus
Company descriptions in press releases and SEC filings indicate that John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. handles nut and dried fruit products, snack bars and dried cheese snacks. Earlier descriptions also note that the company markets and distributes, and in many cases manufactures or processes, a range of food and snack products that includes peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, candy and confections, snacks and trail mixes, snack bites, sunflower kernels, dried fruit, corn snacks and sesame snack products. These products are sold under private brands and the company’s own brands, positioning JBSS across multiple product types within the snack and recipe nut categories.
Public communications from the company describe three key distribution channels that drive its operations: a consumer distribution channel, a commercial ingredients distribution channel and a contract manufacturing (or contract packaging) distribution channel. Within the consumer channel, the company reports activity in both private brand and branded products. The commercial ingredients channel supplies nut and related products to other food industry customers, while the contract manufacturing channel includes processing of items such as granola and snack nuts for third parties.
Brands and private brand presence
Across multiple news releases, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. emphasizes its mix of company-owned brands and private brands. Products sold under the Fisher, Orchard Valley Harvest, Squirrel Brand, Southern Style Nuts and Just the Cheese names provide branded exposure in snack nuts, recipe nuts, dried fruit-based products, snack bars and dried cheese snacks. At the same time, the company states that it sells products under a variety of private brands, which positions JBSS as both a branded manufacturer and a supplier to retailers and other customers that use their own labels.
Company communications also reference specific product types within these brands, such as Fisher recipe nuts and Fisher snack nuts in the branded category. Orchard Valley Harvest and Southern Style Nuts are cited in connection with branded sales volume trends, while Just the Cheese is identified among the company’s brand names for dried cheese snacks. This combination of brands and private labels allows the company to participate in multiple segments of the snack and recipe nut market.
Distribution channels and end markets
In its quarterly and annual results releases, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. provides detail on how sales volume is organized across its consumer, commercial ingredients and contract manufacturing channels. The consumer channel includes private brand and branded products sold through various retail customers, including mass merchandising retailers, grocery retailers, club stores and other outlets referenced in its commentary. The commercial ingredients channel includes sales such as peanut butter and peanut crushing stock to food service customers and peanut oil processors. The contract manufacturing channel includes processing of granola and snack nuts for customers, including work performed at the company’s Lakeville facility.
These disclosures show that JBSS participates in both consumer-facing and business-to-business segments. The company’s communications frequently discuss sales volume changes in each channel, including growth or decline in bars, snack nuts, trail mix, recipe nuts and other nut-based products, as well as shifts related to pricing, commodity acquisition costs and customer-specific decisions.
Operational themes and risk factors
Across its news releases and forward-looking statements, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. identifies several factors that can affect its performance. These include sales activity for its products, changes in product mix between higher and lower priced items, demand for private brand products, and changing consumer preferences within nut, bar and snack categories. The company also highlights availability and costs of raw materials and ingredients, including the impact of tariffs and other import restrictions, and the importance of being able to pass commodity cost changes through to customers.
Other factors the company cites include the ability to measure and estimate bulk nut inventories, fluctuations in market prices for nuts, competitive and pricing pressures, and potential losses associated with product recalls, product contamination, food labeling or other food safety issues. The company also notes the importance of controlling costs in areas such as inputs, transportation and labor, managing economic uncertainty and consumer demand, and addressing potential disruptions at production or processing facilities.
Capital allocation and shareholder returns
Recent press releases and Form 8-K filings show that the Board of Directors has periodically declared special cash dividends and an annual cash dividend on its Common Stock and Class A Common Stock. For example, the company announced a special cash dividend of $0.60 per share and an annual dividend of $0.90 per share, and later a special cash dividend of $1.00 per share. In its commentary, the company links these dividends to its financial performance and to a stated goal of creating long-term stockholder value through the responsible use of cash.
These dividend declarations are reported in both news releases and corresponding 8-K filings under Item 8.01, which describe the per-share amounts, the record dates and the payment dates. The company notes that these distributions are supported by its financial results over recent quarters and acknowledges the contributions of its employees in achieving those results.
Corporate governance and listing
John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. states in its public communications that its common equity trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBSS. The company files periodic and current reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A. The proxy materials describe matters submitted to stockholders, such as the election of directors, ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm and an advisory vote on executive compensation.
An 8-K filing describing the company’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders reports the election of directors for both Common Stock and Class A Common Stock holders, the ratification of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the 2026 fiscal year, and approval of the advisory vote on executive compensation. The proxy statement also outlines aspects of the company’s compensation and governance practices as summarized in that document.
Summary
Overall, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. presents itself, through its own disclosures, as a manufacturer and distributor of nut and dried fruit-based products, snack bars and dried cheese snacks with a mix of branded and private brand offerings. Its operations span consumer, commercial ingredients and contract manufacturing channels, and its products are sold under well-known brand names such as Fisher, Orchard Valley Harvest, Squirrel Brand, Southern Style Nuts and Just the Cheese, as well as under private brands. The company’s filings and news releases highlight the importance of raw material costs, consumer demand, pricing, operational efficiency and capital allocation decisions, including dividends, in shaping its performance and strategy.