SunTree Snack Foods acquires Carolina Nut Company in deal

SunTree Snack Foods, a Phoenix snack manufacturer that produces both branded and private label nuts and dried fruit snacks, has announced an acquisition that will give the company access to the East Coast market. SunTree has purchased Carolina Nut, another producer of branded and private label nut products.

SunTree works with retailers, including largely convenience stores, to produce peanuts, cashews, almonds, trail mixes and some dried fruit. Unique product flavors have included dill pickle, sriracha, and variations on ranch and chile limon.

Josh Sowell, senior vice president, chief customer officer for SunTree Snack Food said in a recent Store Brands report that many c-store retailers are looking for healthier options but also "scream delicious."

He said private brand manufacturers consistently lead the way in innovation and aren’t afraid to try new things, especially in the c-store channel, where impulse is king.

To that end, Henderson, N.C.-based Carolina Nut specializes in unique flavored hand-crafted nuts, flavored peanuts, spicy nuts and candied nuts, and the by the North Carolina facility includes an in-house research and development laboratory that allows SunTree to develop new products and on-trend flavors.

“Carolina Nut is a perfect complement to SunTree on many levels,” said Jeff Vogel, CEO of SunTree. “The additional product offerings, expanded geographic footprint, and new packaging and manufacturing capabilities will expand our product lineup for our customers and provide a larger variety of snacking options for category growth.”