Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Mangia.
Hi Kristy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always loved to be in the kitchen; it is the place where I am most energized and creative. I grew up in the kitchen, like when I was three, and would make “recipes”-ultimately a mishmash of ingredients resulting in an inedible concoction that got me in a lot of trouble learning to help my mom and aunt cook holiday meals and maturing into being able to cook my husband one heck of a date night meal. I love the kitchen; I love to cook, and the only thing I love more is a good adventure. And that confluence is where Giddy Up Nuts was born. About five years ago, I was driving home from a weekend of adventure at California’s favorite playground, Mammoth Mountain. As I surveyed the store, filled with sugary, processed, fatty snacks, I thought there must be a better way to snack on the road. There had to be a challenger to the potato chip empire: a delicious, approachable, healthy snack that you could feel good about eating and tasted good to fuel for your everyday wanderings, whether it was something to munch on the way to work or keep you going on an epic adventure. I started by selling Giddy Up Nuts at the local farmer’s markets, where the stall quickly became a favorite among the market-goers. Customers loved Giddy Up’s unique flavors, all-natural ingredients, and eye-catching packaging. Today, you can find Giddy Up at specialty retailers across the country. We have recently partnered with Walmart and can be found in over 250 Walmart locations in the West, which has been a very proud moment. When I’m not in the kitchen dreaming up new flavors, you can find me hiking with my golden retriever, Chip, skiing in Mammoth with my Aussie husband, or adventuring to new places, always with Giddy Up Nuts in hand.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The road of business owner/entrepreneur is always a challenging one. There are so many great ideas and passionate people out there trying to take a crack at their business, but it ultimately comes down to a game of survival. Survival results from many decisions, large and small, along the way. We have had large orders go awry, have had to find new production space in a very short time, have had what were key relationships fail, and have printed thousands of our bags with incorrect nutritional fact information that ultimately had to be discarded. Surviving these bumps is about keeping the right attitude, getting creative, and learning to pivot quickly.
We’ve been impressed with Giddy Up Nuts, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
We’re California foodies who care about eating well and love an adventure. Giddy Up Nuts was born out of the desire to create a delicious snack to satisfy our customer’s everyday wanderings. We handcraft each batch using seasonal, local ingredients fresh from the farmer’s market or other craft makers. We are most proud to be able to work with other like-minded companies like Red Beard’s Hot Sauce in our Brazen Buffalo Wing almonds, Black Velvet Coffee in our Coffee Chocolate almonds, and Rogue Creamery in our Brazen Buffalo Wing almonds. Our bags are printed in Bishop, CA, by the amazingly talented Independent Project Press on printing presses from the 1800s. Each of them is truly a work of art. We believe that a rising tide lifts all boats and are honored to be able to work with so many other talented, passionate makers. Our spiced almonds are made in painstakingly small batches, are GMO-free and gluten-free, and never have artificial flavors or coloring. We use only real ingredients like fresh California garlic, rosemary, and Italian olive oil. Giddy Up Nuts are great to devour on their own or also make excellent accompaniments to cheese plates, salads, ice cream, oatmeal, yogurt, and just about anything else.
Alright, before we go, can you talk to us about how people can work, collaborate, or support you?
Bags of Giddy Up Nuts and our almond butter are available on our website, www.giddyupnuts.com. We would love for people to order from us and try us out. If you own a storefront or online shop, we would love to partner with you and have you carry Giddy Up Nuts. You can find us for wholesale orders on Faire or drop us a wholesale request via our website. We love working with small, independent retailers; whether you are a floral shop, gourmet specialty food store, or gift shop, we’d love to work with you. We love creating beautiful photos on our Instagram and would love for readers to follow us virtually on our journey.
Pricing:
- $8.00 for 6oz bag online
- $4.00 for 2oz bag online
- $9.00 for almond butter online
Contact Info:
- Website: www.giddyupnuts.com
- Instagram: giddyupnuts
- Facebook: giddyupnuts
Image Credits
Budd Social
