Melissa Boatner is in line to be the fourth generation of the Whaley family to own and operate Whaley Pecan, and she’s already leaving her mark on the company.

Under Boatner’s management, the plant is branching out to produce pies and other pecan-based confections under the Joe C. Williams brand name.

“We’ve been talking about running our own kitchen for 10 years,” Boatner said. “We just finally did it. It’s been a fast change, but an exciting one.”

Whaley Pecan purchased Joe C. Williams after its owner, Joe Williams, passed away in October 2015. His daughter Ellie held down the business in his absence, but decided to let the company’s longtime partner take over the business to keep it serving its customers for years to come.

“It was natural that we would step in and buy the company,” Boatner said. “We’ve been sending them pecans for decades for their products, and they’ve sent us pies that we could sell under the Whaley name. Nothing has really changed, we’re just under one roof now.”

Boatner said Whaley Pecan is not changing anything about the Joe C. Williams line. “The recipe is the same one that has always been used at Joe C. Williams,” Boatner said. “It was passed down to us by Mr. Joes’ mother. We will continue the Joe C. Williams line as long as we have customers. The only thing that has changed is the location.”

With the legal work wrapping up at the end of May, Boatner said the company is still working on setting up the new division of the business. The kitchen consists of several modern refrigerators and freezers packed with piecrusts and all the other ingredients the workers need to bake the miniature pecan pies that Joe C. Williams is known for. The kitchen is producing 4,000 pies a week. Boatner said that the pies are being baked in small batches to ensure quality.

The company is working on getting the pies into local stores, and Boatner said a local grocer should be carrying them in the fall. The pies are already being sold at Pinckard’s. The current Joe C. Williams line includes regular size pecan and chocolate pecan pies as well as four mini pies: pecan, chocolate pecan, coconut and coconut pecan. Boatner said they’re working on more items for the fall.

Boatner previously spent 17 years in the insulation industry, but left it behind to return home to the family company.

“I love working with my mom and dad on a daily basis,” Boatner said. “It is not always easy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Her father Bob Whaley is the owner and her mother Mary Whaley is the office manager.

Whaley Pecan is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is also open on Saturdays in November and December.

The plant is located at 1101 S. Brundidge Blvd. For more information, go to www.whaleypecan.com or www.joecwilliams.com or find either brand on Facebook.