RICHMOND—Catching up on Hurricane Sandy on Sunday morning, Lynne Rabil was shocked when she saw “The Today Show” anchor Lester Holt with a can of Hubs peanuts on national television.

“Then I immediately said to my husband, ‘I bet not many people saw this,’ and the phone started ringing,” said Rabil, president of Hubbard Peanut Co. in Sedley. “We got a lot of calls and people at church commented.”

Reporting from the University of Richmond on the presidential campaign, Holt received the peanuts as a gift from the college. Brian Eckert, director of media and public relations for the university, chose the peanuts.

“The producer asked me what is some item that really is unique to Virginia,” Eckert said. “I immediately thought of Hubs.”

Eckert and his wife discovered the peanuts at a friend’s party some time ago.

“They are the best peanuts we’ve ever had,” he said. “They are huge and we bought a case of them to give as Christmas presents. We’ve been fans since.”

Eckert even visited the Southampton County store and packaging facility.

“I was so impressed,” he said. “I am a former farm kid myself and I have a lot of empathy for family farms and people in the agricultural business.”

Rabil noted the can contained Hubs home-cooked salted peanuts.