Local and state leaders gathered at Whitley’s Peanut Factory at Hayes Friday afternoon to celebrate the expansion of the agribusiness in the county.

Whitley’s is expected to create five new jobs and increase its annual purchases of Virginia-grown peanuts by 36 percent to over 600,000 pounds over the next three years.

Gov. Ralph Northam approved a $20,000 grant from the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund, which is administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to assist with the project; making it the first AFID award to Gloucester and the first Governor’s Discretionary Award made to the county in over 20 years. Gloucester’s Economic Development Authority matched the grant with local funds.

Todd Smith, owner and president of Whitley Peanut Factory, Inc., said the funding means the business will continue moving forward with the build-out of an existing offsite warehouse, allowing for an incr...