Belmont graduate transforms family farming roots and personal recovery into national retail success
Music business alumna Kortney Chase (’12) never imagined she would one day be invited to return to Belmont and speak before students as a featured entrepreneur. She also never expected that embracing her authentic story would help launch her product nationwide.
“I never thought college was even a possibility for me,” she told students during an Entrepreneur Coffee Talk hosted by the Cone Center for Entrepreneurship.
The New Mexico native is a third-generation pecan farmer and a first-generation college graduate. “I’m a rural farm girl from the middle of nowhere, so coming to Belmont was just special in itself.”
Today, that same farm background has become the foundation of her fast-growing, shelf-stable pecan milk brand, Pecana — a business born not only out of agriculture, but out of personal transformation.
The Journey of an Overcomer
After graduating from Belmont, Chase returned to work in her family’s business, overseeing a large pecan processing facility outside Austin, Texas. The experience gave her firsthand experience in production for her father’s business, but it wasn’t her passion.
Years of feeling unfulfilled eventually led Chase into a downward spiral. As she navigated a failing marriage and unhealthy lifestyle choices, including alcohol dependency, everything finally came to a head.
“I was very unhappy, and during that time, I thought about what I could do,” she said. “What was the one thing that one could be mine and I could pour into my life.”
Then, Pecana was born. Instead of letting that season define her, Chase redirected her energy into rebuilding her life and funneling her focus into her business.
“The stricter I got with my life, with my faith and my health is when I started to see success with my business,” she said. This year, Pecana launched at Walmart, where the product is now available in 3,800 stores nationwide.
Chase hopes that her journey encourages students by showing them that change and growth are possible, even when facing challenges and insecurities. “If you’re struggling like I was, take that and use it as fuel to transform your life,” she said.
Breaking Into Walmart’s Market
In 2023, Chase pitched Pecana at Walmart’s Open Call — a competitive supplier showcase. Although, she didn’t get immediate placement, she kept tabs on the franchise until the opportune moment.
Walmart announced a push for American made brands and Chase played her hand again. She reached out to the Walmart buyer, emphasizing her story as a rural American pecan farmer.
On Memorial Day weekend, her golden ticket came in the form of an email telling her Pecana had been selected for nationwide Walmart distribution.
Building a Clean, Authentic Brand
Using pecans sourced directly from her family’s farms, Chase developed a product with short, recognizable ingredients and no unnecessary fillers. Her commitment to transparency and clean nutrition became inseparable from her personal recovery.
“I stopped hiding the things I was insecure about: my weight, addiction, growing up rural,” she said. “That vulnerability became the brand’s strength.”
Chase partnered with a co-packer in New York to handle the specialized shelf-stable packaging required for large-scale distribution. Within a short time, Pecana broke into major retailers including Whole Foods Market and H-E-B, driven largely by organic storytelling and authentic relationships with buyers.
Alongside these national retailers, Pecana is proudly sold at Belmont’s Bruin Bodega, which highlights products created by students and alumni.
“If you have an idea in mind — no matter what it is — think of what is authentically you and try to instill that into your business,” she advised.
A Message for the Next Generation
Today, Chase leans proudly into her humble roots. She even goes by That Pecan Girl on social media and is the self-proclaimed “Pecan Queen.”
Her story is about the journey of self-acceptance, authenticity and perseverance.
“I think about the struggles I used to believe were the devil trying to drown me,” she said. “Looking back now, I see they were actually God teaching me how to swim.”
She’s also honest with students about the reality behind her success.
“There were years where I wasn’t making money and everyone thought my dream was crazy,” she told students during her visit to campus, encouraging them to stay committed to their own paths. “Your circle won’t always understand your vision. You just have to keep going.”
As Pecana’s national presence grows with placements in Walmart, H-E-B, Whole Foods and several other grocery chains, Chase remains firmly rooted in the lessons that launched it all: faith, discipline, authenticity and resilience.
Embrace your story. Fuel your future.