The Texas Pecan Travels Across the World

Texas pecans travel across the world to meet the increasing demands for the tasty nut. Millican Pecan Company explains why their pecans are becoming popular in Asia.

The only nut commercially grown in the entire state of Texas is the pecan. Southern chefs traditionally use pecans in a variety of ways, whether to make sweets like pecan pies, pralines, and cookies or to add the unique nutty flavor as a flourish on vegetables or in soups.

According to Winston Millican, owner of Millican Pecan Company in San Saba, Texas, "Pecans are growing in popularity all over the world." Not only are American culinary artists experimenting with the increasingly popular nut, Asian countries have become what Winston calls "Addicted." In the past few years, Asia has become the leading consumer for Millican Pecan Company outside of North America. Kristen, Winston’s wife and co-owner, claims "Pecans are becoming popular worldwide because people have recently started to recognize them as one of nature’s super foods". This statement is supported by the fact that pecans are packed with antioxidants, oleic acid, B complex vitamins, and essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, zinc and selenium. The FDA has even approved a new heart health claim for pecans.

According to Winston, "more than 100 million pounds" of pecans were bought by Asia last year from the United States. Millican Pecan Company is making great strides to become even more involved with Asian countries, in particular China. Winston is a board member of the Texas Pecan Growers Association (TPGA). Usually TPGA brings groups of Chinese businessmen to Texas to advertise the benefits of eating pecans. This year, the group of farmers plans to take a trip to China as a reverse trade mission. Currently, China prefers to first buy the Western Schley pecan from the United States, and then they buy from Mexico, working their way up to Texas and Oklahoma. Winston believes this will change in the near future as the public notices the superior quality of Texas Pecan Store versus pecans in other parts of the country.

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