Alex’s Fruits and Nuts

Good things come in small packages. "That was my uncle's thinking—healthy, easy-to-eat food in little bags that we could sell in offices and stalls," said Abraham Tamayo, co-owner of Alex's Fruits and Nuts.

At the Agoura Hills Farmers Market, where they have a stall every Sunday, Tamayo was enthusiastically handing out samples of nuts and dried fruit to every patron that would stop by. A bag sells for $4; two bags are $7 or three bags for $10.

"The cranberries, especially the strawberry-cranberry mix and licorice sell really well in almost all of the farmers markets that we sell at," said Tamayo. Almost everything is grown in California, except for the brown figs, which are from Turkey, and some nuts, which are from Brazil. The cashews and peanuts are imported from South America.

Ten years ago, the Tamayos were only selling plain and smoked almonds out of their Lancaster store. As the demand grew, so did their selections. They added honey, chili and lemon almonds next. Then they started selling at various farmers markets around the area.

They now have a presence in about 40 to 45 farmers markets. Tamayo and his Uncle Javier take turns manning the stalls on various days of the week. Five full-time employees are based at the Lancaster store. "For some reason, sales-wise, our busiest weeks are right there in the middle of the month—the second and third weeks," stated Tamayo.

Nuts

There are 30 varieties of nuts, with glazed pecans and lemon roasted almonds among the bestsellers. Almonds alone come in 11 flavors, while the pepitas (pumpkin seeds out of a shell) come in three versions, including the trail mix.

Scientifically proven to be cholesterol-free and without any unsaturated fats, nuts have been recommended for inclusion in most heart-healthy diets. Tamayo cited one more health benefit—"Almost everything is raw, sun-dried or roasted."

Aside from almonds and pepitas, there are several nuts to choose from: pistachios (five flavors), Brazil nuts, corn nuts, roasted Filberts (hazel nuts), nori (seaweed) peanuts and soy nuts. The raw nuts are plenty—pepitas, pecans, pignolias (pine nuts), walnuts and pumpkin seeds. For those with a sweet tooth, Tamayo suggests the glazed pecans, glazed walnuts or the Boston beans (peanuts with candy coating).

Most of the nuts are available year-round, except for the pine nuts and macadamias, which are only available from October to April.

Dried Fruit

The dried fruit varieties are just as interesting as the nuts. There are 15 kinds, from apple rings to apricots, papayas to pineapples.

The manganese-rich pineapples come in three flavors—natural, sweet and chili, with mango flavor. The raisins, comparable to prunes and apricots in terms of antioxidant content, have two varieties—golden flames and jumbo.

While the cranberries remain hugely popular, Tamayo said the dried mangoes and dried papayas are not too far behind. "I think people's taste buds are becoming more sophisticated these days," he said. "The wasabi trail mix is starting to get some attention lately, along with granola and chili tamarind."

Most nuts and dried fruits have a shelf life of three months, except for the raw cashews and Brazilian nuts, which are only good for two months. Bulk orders can be made online or at the Lancaster store. They ship all over the world.

On a good Sunday, it is not unusual to sell 200 to 220 bags of nuts and dried fruit. At the end of the day, two-week old nuts and dried fruit are donated to a church in Lancaster. "It's our way of giving back," said Tamayo. "Business has been good generally."