By Frank Lopez – Fresno Business Journal
Published August 22, 2025
2025 FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS AWARD WINNER – LARGE BUSINESS CATEGORY
Founded in 1961, Nichols Farms grows, processes, packages and markets high-quality pistachio
products to retailers and consumers across the nation. It also has a robust social media following,
appealing to new customers in humorous ways.
Now the fourth-generation family business has a new prize for the trophy case — 2025 FOBA winner in the large company category. The company’s history goes back to 1954, when Graydon and Virginia Nichols began farming in the San Joaquin Valley. They planted their first pistachio trees in 1981 — one of the earliest farmers to do so in the Central Valley.
Their son, CEO Chuck Nichols, who is now retired, built a new processing plant where pistachios
are dry roasted, salted and seasoned to this day. His sons, Jeff and James Nichols, have taken on leadership roles in the company and continue to innovate production of the best tasting pistachios for consumers. Jeff runs the processing plant while James handles the farming side.
Other family members working at Nichols Farms are Mary-Alice Nichols, Kelsey Nichols and Brittney Nichols.
Sustainability is one of the core values at Nichols Farms, with all process water used during harvest being recycled and returned to the pistachio orchards, minimizing waste and supporting tree health. The sustainability efforts reflect their commitment to responsible resource management and long term environmental stewardship.
Nichols Farms also prioritizes their employee’s work/life balance and encourages their employees to spend meaningful time with their families. They also support a scholarship program for the children and grandchildren of their employees.
The company plans to maintain an annual growth rate of 8%, driven by continued expansion and strong operational execution. Growing the Nichols Farm brand is a major goal, with a target of increasing branded sales by over 20% annually as their market presence strengthens.
For the coming year, the company will continue to focus on growing their new flavored organic pistachio portfolio.
Read the full feature piece here
