Name of business: Crazy-4-Nuts
Type of business: Roasted Cinnamon Nuts
Location: 2202 AZUSA CT
Hours of operation: Varies
Contact info: (209) 262-8151
History of business:.
After 50 years of being a machinist, Turlock resident Freddie Graham decided to drop the metal and pick up a new hobby — roasting almonds.
Partnered with his wife Darlene, Graham started Crazy- 4-Nuts in January of this year. The couple set up shop in their own residence, and since their inception, the duo has displayed their roasted almonds at numerous fairs, festivals and events around the state, even making an appearance at the Stanislaus County Fair last month.
Darlene Graham, who handles the bookkeeping of the roasted almond business stated that the decision her husband made came out of frustrations associated with being a machinist. Freddie Graham, who began working as a machinist in 1959, was having trouble collecting from a lot of the projects he was working on.
“He was just burnt out,” said Darlene Graham. “So, we decided to do this.”
After selling all the machine equipment, the couple headed over to Utah to check out the machines they would be using to roast the almonds. Having tried roasted almonds at other events, a light bulb struck in their mind, why not roast the almonds in real time?
Darlene Graham stated this idea of on the spot cooking is what attracts customers to have a taste of their almonds.
“We have a fan that blows out our aroma while we’re cooking,” said Darlene Graham. “Our customers can smell us for miles.”
The couples biggest gig was at the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, a Bay Area-based mushroom festival, where they sold out of their common roasted goods to the over 75,000 attendees of the events.
“We were not expecting that kind of response there,” said Darlene Graham. “We were working there nonstop.”
Darlene Graham stated that although their business is only in its infancy, the response from the community has been more than positive.
“The reception from the community has been super,” said Darlene Graham. “We’ve been getting invited to all sorts of events.”
Business specialty: Crazy-4-Nuts specializes in fresh roasted cinnamon almonds, pecans and walnuts. The business is also working on a chocolate recipe they hope to have ready by next year.
