Are You (Yum)Nuts?

Mr. Peanut be warned: cashews carry a certain cachet. And that’s something Yumnuts Naturals is betting on.

“The cashew is a preferred nut. It’s more expensive, but it’s viewed as better for you,” said Jerome Metivier, Yumnuts’ chief financial officer.

The Norwalk-based nut company has grown from 50 stores to 2,000 since it started 18 months ago. Stores including Stewart's Market, Whole Foods, Stew Leonard’s, Fairway and Stop & Shop stock the nuts.

Some might consider launching a business amidst a global recession slightly batty. But to hear Metivier tell it, there was nothing nuts about it.

“There is less competition and less innovation during a recession. So it was a nice time to bring in innovation. Buyers were happy to have something new to sell,” said Metivier, a New Canaan resident, sitting in his third floor office.

Metivier joined the privately owned business together with Tyler Ricks. Both worked at Bear Naked until Kellogg purchased it. The pair decided they preferred to chart their own course.

Today the small enterprise boasts six employees, four of whom were previously unemployed. All the employees live locally, from Fairfield to New Canaan to Wilton.

Metivier is no stranger to the food business. He sold baby food and natural spring water in Mauritius, Africa. He also worked for Evian, Lipton, and Dannon. In fact, he’s worked on every continent but Antarctica and Arctic.

Starting a business in the U.S. is easier than in Europe, even during a recession, Metivier said. 

“If your product works there are 300 million potential consumers. And the entrepreneurial spirit in the U.S. is more developed,” he said. 

Cashew nuts grow beneath a fruit called a cashew apple.  Yumnuts gets its nuts from India, and develops new flavors in a Chicago-based food lab.

Marketed as a healthy snack, Yumnuts don’t contain added oils, preservatives, or artificial flavors, said Metivier, adding that the baked and flavored cashews are a healthy alternative to M&Ms.

“It’s not a zero calorie product, but it’s a good source of protein and iron,” Metivier said. “Moms love the product because it’s very light and healthy. There are no dyes in it.”

For now the young company relies on word of mouth. It has no immediate plans to go public or to sell to a larger company. Instead it plans to concentrate on distribution, Metivier said.

Yumnuts also depends heavily on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. For now the 1,500 Facebook followers favor the chocolate and toasted coconut flavors. For the savory inclined there is also sea salt, spicy Cajun, and chili lime.

Of course having a wide fan-base means the business doesn’t lack for suggestions.

“We use Facebook to get ideas,” Metivier said. “But sometimes they come up with bizarre flavors that we don’t even try.”