Shop
Bandera Foods, better known as Killer Pecans, is a specialty food company focused on premium roasted and seasoned pecans. It all began when, while catering to Dallas clients, Katie and George noticed they were receiving lots of compliments on the delicious, crunchy pecans they put in their salads. Clients and friends thought they should sell the pecans since they were so good (and addictive). They decided to take that advice, and in 2006 Killer Pecans was born. The company has been growing ever since.
Native Texas Pecans
All of our unique flavors are made with premium quality junior mammoth pecans grown in Texas, roasted in small batches to ensure optimal crunch and texture, and tossed in spice blends created by us. Nothing else on the market compares with our complex flavors or the crisp crunch of our pecans. Killer Pecans are a unique treat, great for giving, snacking, adding to sweet and savory recipes, or enjoying with beer, wine, and cocktails. Killer Pecans come in bags, tins and gift sets, making them perfect for giving or a treat for yourself!
-
Local
We strive to find the freshest, highest quality local ingredients. Our Killer & Smokin’ Pecans are made from the best mammoth pecans available from just down the road in San Saba, Texas.
-
Handmade
Our products are made by hand in small batches to ensure that they are of the highest quality and ultimate freshness for our customers.
-
Artisan
Everything we do – our recipes, our small batch production by hand – underlines our commitment to creating artisanal products to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.
From chefs to pecans
George and Katie’s culinary journeys started in very different ways. For George, it was his grandmother’s cooking. He learned at a young age that cooking for others was an expression of love. For Katie, it was her
mother’s way of keeping her busy in the summers and teaching her the importance of following directions. She also knew that having something to show for Katie’s work in a relatively short time was important for her.
It was these beginnings that got them started in the industry. George worked for Master Chef Victor Gieliese, who showed him a culinary world he knew nothing about, while Katie yearned to learn more than what she could by working at small-town restaurants. They both headed north to The Culinary Institute of America, where they learned the fine art of cooking, met each other, graduated, and then entered the wider world together.
In 1999, they decided to chase the dream of owning their own business and started GEORGE Catering and then later, GEORGE Restaurant, which would be their devotion and way of life for 12 successful years.
From then to now
In 2012, after years of operating a busy catering company, starting and operating Killer Pecans, and raising triplets (born in 2004), George and Katie decided to pursue a more balanced life. They took some time to slow down and figure out what they wanted to do and where they wanted to do it. Now they live on 10 acres in Lucas, Texas – about 25 miles north of Dallas and a squeak east of Allen – with their three kids and more than 40 farm animals! Today they are focused exclusively on Killer Pecans and spreading their love of pecans to you, no matter where you are.