Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Bendeck.
Cynthia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started as a dream, with one recipe, my grandmother. After she passed away in 2016, I felt the need that I need to do something in order to always remember her. So, I started doing the Caramelized Peanuts at home and started giving them out, to friends, to neighbors, to family, coworkers among other people, everybody was asking me how do you make them, and telling me how delicious they were. So, as time passed by, they started telling me if I could sell some to them, so I did a little researched and started working under the Florida Cottage Food Law, which allows small business owners to produce from home. A month later, the popularity among friends and family was too much, that I decided to expand the business and moved into a commercial kitchen, in order to get all the proper permits to fully operate in Florida. After I sign the contract in the commercial kitchen, I knew it was a big thing and that I need more products not only one. but still, I started selling to the public one product. A year and a half later, I have 30 different products. I carry eight different types of nuts and eight different flavors and still growing.
Presently, I sell in five different farmers markets across South Florida (Aventura mall Saturday & Sunday, Jackson South and Blue-lagoon on Tuesday, Nicklaus Children on Wednesday, Jackson Hospital on Thursday), Amazon, the online store at our website, and 1 distributor.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not everything in life is easy, if it was easy, I believe everybody would have their business. Many doors have closed, by my faith in God has open thousands of doors. Some of the struggles were that my car was so little, that nothing would fit in it in order to go to the farmers markets, so somethings I would arrive late because I had to make two trips, hehe. I knew that sooner or later, I was going to need a bigger car, but I did not have the money to buy or finance one. When you are starting your business, you are so enthusiastic that you feel on top of the world, and when you go to present your product to any business to sell it, they say NO, you are not ready, your product is not a good fit, so they try to let you know, but I was always very positive, and my family always supportive. That’s why I decided to start selling at the farmers markets so that people can see and try my products.
Please tell us about Crystal Nuts.
I’m proud of my brand because it’s nice to see how every week, I get returning customers saying this is the best nuts I’ve tried, that’s why I’m back, it’s nice to see how local people support small business owners.
I do various types of nuts and flavors, all of my products are dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, organic and very important HANDCRAFTED…
Some of them are Keto Friendly, Paleo Friendly, and sugar-free.
My product is different than others because I produce in small batches, so you get more flavor and we can apply our secret ingredient – LOVE.
We roast our nuts naturally, there is no additional oil added to the nut, in fact, it has less oil than a raw nut.
Is there anyone, in particular, you would like to recognize? Mentors, etc?
The first person that deserves credit is GOD, because of Him, I do everything I do, and of course, my customers, because without them, this company would not exist. My family is one of my biggest supporters as well as Chef Vicky Colas, FIUStartUp Food, and my closest friends.
Pricing:
- 2.5 oz cost $5.00
- 7.0 0z. cost $9.00
- 1 LB cost $25.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 5007 N Hiatus Rd, Sunrise, FL 33351
- Website: www.Crystalnuts.com
- Phone: 305-499-0749
- Email: info@crystalnuts.com
- Instagram: Crystalnuts_
- Facebook: Crystalnuts
- Twitter: Crystalnuts
Image Credit:
Rene Matute Photography, Roggo Photography
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