We offer the best peanuts. While peanuts are cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, they are native to the Western Hemisphere, likely originating in South America. They spread throughout the New World as Spanish explorers discovered their versatility. When the Spaniards returned to Europe, peanuts accompanied them, and later, traders introduced peanuts to Asia and Africa. In the 1700s, peanuts made their way back to North America on sailing ships carrying slaves. Although there were some commercial peanut farms in the U.S. during the 1700s and 1800s, widespread cultivation did not occur until later.