Al’s Gourmet Nuts is the third child of Margaret and Albert Anaglia, better known as the Nut Lady and Nut Guy.  Birthing the gourmet nut company was a multi-year labor full of twists and turns.  The couple sold hammocks, garden decor and imported Mexican art at weekend festivals before realizing they already knew a product that had a loyal following and could have widespread appeal - gourmet candied pecans.  Margaret had been a fan of the pecans for many years, snacking on them at festivals. So the couple befriended the original nut maker, an executive chef, and offered to buy his business.  The initial price was more than they could afford, but when the chef decided to retire a few years later, he offered Margaret and Al a deal they could not refuse.

After buying the chef’s basic candy-glazing recipe and a 50-year-old German roaster, the former city government employee and research technician launched Al’s Gourmet Nuts in 2000.  It was just in time for the arrival of their first son, an event that spurred Margaret to begin staying at home. Initially, the couple acquired repeat customers by glazing the nuts fresh at Hill Country festivals on weekends and expanding the product line.  The Anaglia’s then branched into serving corporate and group clients.  Now, in a licensed commercial kitchen that they built on their home property with retirement savings, Al coats three tons of raw nuts each year. Margaret selects and custom packs each batch. Sons Joseph and Paul peer in to watch during breaks from playing in the family’s nearby backyard.

Al’s Gourmet Nuts' sweet varieties are so popular that friends and family “work for nuts” rather than cash during the busy winter holidays.  Can you really have just one?