Founder of Planters. Started his career as a bellhop and fruit stand vendor in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later, Obici moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and opened his own fruit stand and invested in a peanut roaster. Here he linked his life's fortune with the peanut. In a few years, Obici turned peddler, using a horse and wagon, and called himself: The Peanut Specialist. In 1906, he went into partnership with Mario Peruzzi, He had developed his own method of blanching whole roasted peanuts, doing away with the troublesome hulls and skins; and so with six employees two large roasters, and crude machinery, Planters was founded. Obici realized that prices and first profits were not nearly so important as repeat business and proved his operation based on quality and brand name were important for continued success. Two years later, the firm was incorporated as Planters Nut and Chocolate Company. Business growth had accelerated, so Obici opened a Planters factory in Suffolk, Virginia. Even after great success, Obici remained ever ready to listen to his friends and help them. Years earlier, he had saved enough money to help his family immigrate from Italy to the U.S. Obici was a generous benefactor, especially to the town of Suffolk. He endowed a hospital for the town to memorialize his beloved Louise. Even today, the hospital is helped by this one man who had come so far.
Founder of Planters. Started his career as a bellhop and fruit stand vendor in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later, Obici moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and opened his own fruit stand and invested in a peanut roaster. Here he linked his life's fortune with the peanut. In a few years, Obici turned peddler, using a horse and wagon, and called himself: The Peanut Specialist. In 1906, he went into partnership with Mario Peruzzi, He had developed his own method of blanching whole roasted peanuts, doing away with the troublesome hulls and skins; and so with six employees two large roasters, and crude machinery, Planters was founded. Obici realized that prices and first profits were not nearly so important as repeat business and proved his operation based on quality and brand name were important for continued success. Two years later, the firm was incorporated as Planters Nut and Chocolate Company. Business growth had accelerated, so Obici opened a Planters factory in Suffolk, Virginia. Even after great success, Obici remained ever ready to listen to his friends and help them. Years earlier, he had saved enough money to help his family immigrate from Italy to the U.S. Obici was a generous benefactor, especially to the town of Suffolk. He endowed a hospital for the town to memorialize his beloved Louise. Even today, the hospital is helped by this one man who had come so far.
Bio by: Russ Pickett
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