As with many good stories, the history of Q’s Nuts starts with a love story, this one between Beth & Brian (a.k.a Q) Quinn, a pair of high school sweethearts. Q, who was working in a custom motorcycle shop, started roasting nuts at events and outdoor markets out of a mobile nut roaster. A side business and hobby more than anything at this point, when the motorcycle shop Q was working at shut down, Beth & Q decided to turn their side hustle into their full-time work. They soon became known for their incredibly delicious and wholesome snacks and haven’t stopped growing since, now with two retail locations and found in specialty shops throughout the country, including our very own Mercantile.
Hand-roasted in small batches, Q’s Nuts focuses on wholesome ingredients, extremely locally sourced whenever possible with many of their spices coming from Christina’s Spice in Cambridge and their chocolate coming from Taza in Somerville, both barely a two mile walk from their kitchen.
Unlike many roasters, Q’s savory nuts are slow roasted instead of deep fried to bring out the very best flavor as well as preserve the wholesomeness of their nuts.
Q’s sweet nuts, meanwhile, are hand-roasted at a higher temperature and a bit faster in one of two German-built nut roasters, spinning inside a rotating copper bowl which transforms the simple ingredients of raw nuts, organic sugar, and fresh flavors into perfectly-candied snacks.
Whether it’s sweet or savory, Q’s Nuts has you covered with a wholesome & delicious snack! You can pick some up right in our lobby or our online Mercantile, but they’re certainly worth a visit if you’re headed to the Boston Public Market, or if you’re exploring Somerville & Cambridge, check out their main location where they are always roasting up fresh batches of nuts, as well as serving up other local treats (including ice cream!).
