Krema Nut Company
Krema Nut Company is the oldest continuously operating peanut butter manufacturer in the United States. The adults-only tour — due to nut allergies common in children — brings out the kid in every guest as they revisit the childhood classic with a few grown-up twists.
The tour includes company history and an education on the different kinds of nuts used in Krema’s products. Many visitors enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes video shot for the children’s television show “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
“[Mr. Rogers] and his film crew came in 1989 and shot the factory portion of the video about peanuts and peanut butter,” Dave Block, vice president of operations at Krema, said. “It encompasses the entire peanut-butter-making process, all the way from the seed being planted in the ground to a finished product. He’s a good storyteller.”
Visitors see the warehouse where the nuts arrive, learn about gourmet nut butters and try samples. They also see a short production line where fresh peanut butter is made by roasting, blanching and handpicking the nuts, which is followed by the jarring process.
“You can see the process up close and personal,” Block said. “It’s a small, intimate type of setup.”
A gourmet sandwich shop features milkshakes and about a dozen varieties of sandwiches, with nut butters made on-site, high-end jellies and other ingredients.
