Squirrel Brand
Squirrel Brand is a 130+ year-old American nut brand owned by John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., selling a four-SKU Signature Collection of premium chocolate-covered and glazed nuts through a Shopify DTC storefront and U.S. retail/grocery distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1888
- HeadquartersElgin, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Squirrel Brand does
Squirrel Brand is a 130+ year-old American nut brand founded in 1888 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, currently operated as a subsidiary brand of John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (JBSS) following JBSS's 2017 acquisition. The brand's product portfolio is concentrated in a narrow four-SKU "Signature Collection" of premium chocolate-covered and glazed nuts: Milk Chocolate & Brown Butter Cashews, Toffee Glazed Pecans, Dark Chocolate & Coconut Almonds, and Ruby Cacao Macadamias. Several products carry Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free Certified designations. The technology stack is a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at squirrelbrand.com, with no proprietary technology or AI capabilities disclosed.
The company operates a dual-channel go-to-market. The primary channel is direct-to-consumer online sales through the Shopify storefront, selling individual nut products and pre-packaged variety packs at unit pricing with shipping/tax calculated at checkout. The secondary channel is wholesale distribution through retail and grocery chains, supported by a "Where To Buy" locator page. Historical distribution has included a Starbucks foodservice partnership initiated in 2010. Marketing is conducted through organic social channels — Facebook, Twitter/X, Pinterest, and Instagram — with no paid acquisition channels evident in the data.
Revenue mechanics consist of DTC online sales and wholesale/retail revenue through third-party placement, with JBSS providing manufacturing, supply chain, and operational infrastructure. The target customer base is segmented into premium/artisan food consumers (DTC primary) and retail/wholesale buyers (secondary), with a horizontal segmentation approach. Geographic reach is limited to the United States, with the company explicitly disclaiming suitability of its services for international markets.
Squirrel Brand firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Squirrel Brand
- Legal name
- John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.
- Website
- https://squirrelbrand.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1888
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Squirrel Brand is a 130+ year-old American nut brand owned by John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., selling a four-SKU Signature Collection of premium chocolate-covered and glazed nuts through a Shopify DTC storefront and U.S. retail/grocery distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Squirrel Brand industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Snack Nuts
- NAICS
- Confectionery and Nut Retailers (445292)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nuts, Seeds & Trail Mix Snacks (CRADABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty Food Gift Shops & Hampers (CRAHAGAN)
Keywords
Where Squirrel Brand is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Elgin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Squirrel Brand business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through owned Shopify e-commerce storefront, selling packaged nut products directly to end consumers with shipping and fulfillment.
- Wholesale/Retail Distribution: Wholesale distribution through retail grocery stores, specialty retailers, and foodservice partners including historical Starbucks presence. Products sold through third-party retail channels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual nut products and variety packs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Squirrel Brand product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Squirrel Brand manufactures and sells a Signature Collection of premium flavored and chocolate-covered nut products — including Milk Chocolate & Brown Butter Cashews, Toffee Glazed Pecans, Dark Chocolate & Coconut Almonds, and Ruby Cacao Macadamias. Products are sold directly to consumers via the brand's Shopify e-commerce store and through U.S. retail/grocery distribution, with select SKUs carrying Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free Certified designations.
Product overview
Squirrel Brand is a nut products company offering a Signature Collection of premium flavored and coated nuts. The product portfolio includes four core offerings: Milk Chocolate & Brown Butter Cashews (cashews with brown butter glaze and milk chocolate coating), Toffee Glazed Pecans (pecans with toffee and salted caramel coating), Dark Chocolate & Coconut Almonds (California almonds with white and dark chocolate plus coconut), and Ruby Cacao Macadamias (macadamia nuts with ruby cacao coating). Products are sold through the e-commerce website and retail locations, with some items carrying Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free certifications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Milk Chocolate & Brown Butter Cashews Whole cashews glazed with sweet brown butter and covered in milk chocolate. Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free Certified. Targeted at premium/artisan food consumers seeking gourmet snacking options.
- Toffee Glazed Pecans Pecans glazed with sweet toffee and covered in a salted caramel flavored coating. Gluten Free Certified. Targeted at premium/artisan food consumers.
- Dark Chocolate & Coconut Almonds Whole California almonds coated in white chocolate then covered in dark chocolate with coconut flakes. Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free Certified. Targeted at premium/artisan food consumers.
- Ruby Cacao Macadamias Whole macadamia nuts coated in sweet, fruity ruby cacao. Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free Certified. Targeted at premium/artisan food consumers seeking novel flavor experiences.
Companies that use Squirrel Brand
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Squirrel Brand technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Squirrel Brand partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Latrice RoyaleminorLatrice Royale featured Squirrel Brand's Ruby Royale product innovation (using rare ruby cacao) in 2021. This drag queen personality partnership was part of product launch marketing for the Ruby Cacao Macadamias product line.
- John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.coreJBSS acquired Squirrel Brand in 2017, bringing the iconic 130+ year old nut brand under the same corporate umbrella. JBSS operates as the parent company providing manufacturing, supply chain, and operational infrastructure for the Squirrel Brand product line. The acquisition expanded JBSS's premium nut portfolio.
- StarbucksminorSquirrel Brand products were sold at Starbucks locations starting in 2010, providing foodservice distribution channel for the brand. This partnership gave Squirrel Brand visibility in premium coffee shop environments.
- NECCOminorNECCO acquired a license from Southern Style Nuts to manufacture Squirrel Nut Caramel Chews and Squirrel Nut Zippers, allowing these heritage candy products to continue production under different ownership.
- Southern Style NutscoreSouthern Style Nuts acquired Squirrel Brand Company in 1999 and moved operations to Denison, TX. This acquisition preceded JBSS's later acquisition of Squirrel Brand in 2017, making Southern Style Nuts the intermediate owner.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Squirrel Brand competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fisher Nuts: Premium nut brand also owned by John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (JBSS) — Squirrel Brand's parent. Fisher is a direct portfolio sibling competing in the same premium nut category with shared manufacturing and distribution infrastructure.
- KAR's Nuts: Mid-sized premium nut snack brand with trail mixes, chocolate-covered nuts, and gift-pack offerings. Directly comparable on premium positioning, gift-pack product extension, and DTC plus retail channels.
- Mariani Nut Company: Family-owned premium nut brand with packaged nuts, dried fruits, and gift packs since 1974. Comparable premium positioning, gift-pack assortment, and multi-channel (DTC + retail) distribution strategy.
- Sahale Snacks: Premium nut-and-fruit snack mixes with trail-mix style packaging, owned by Smucker. Comparable premium positioning, flavored nut innovation, and natural foods channel distribution.
- Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts: Hawaiian-origin macadamia nut brand under Hershey with flavored and chocolate-covered macadamia products. Closely comparable in single-nut premium focus and chocolate-coated innovation, overlapping with Squirrel Brand's Ruby Cacao Macadamias SKU.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Diamond Growers: Largest U.S. almond cooperative and broad-line nut snack brand (Almonds, Wasabi & Soy, Smokehouse). Comparable as a scaled CPG nut brand with retail distribution and a premium giftable product line (e.g., Artisan Nut Thins).
- Wonderful Pistachios: Major branded pistachio snack brand with extensive flavored product lines, no-shell innovations, and national retail presence. Closely comparable as a single-nut-focused CPG brand pursuing premium flavored positioning.
- Emerald Nuts: National branded nut snack brand with 100-calorie pack and flavor innovations. Comparable in retail distribution footprint, flavored nut positioning, and CPG snack category competition.
- Planters: Iconic American nut snack brand (now under Hormel via Kraft Heinz divestiture). Comparable heritage positioning, broad nut assortment, and national retail distribution — though Planters targets value/commodity segments more heavily.
Emerging players
- Nut Harvest: Branded nut snack line focused on flavored and roasted nut offerings in retail channels. Comparable product positioning on flavored nut snacks and overlapping distribution with mainstream grocery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Squirrel Brand social profiles
Digital presenceSquirrel Brand compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Squirrel Brand financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Squirrel Brand leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Squirrel Brand funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Squirrel Brand M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Squirrel Brand
What does Squirrel Brand do?
Squirrel Brand manufactures and sells a Signature Collection of premium flavored and chocolate-covered nut products — including Milk Chocolate & Brown Butter Cashews, Toffee Glazed Pecans, Dark Chocolate & Coconut Almonds, and Ruby Cacao Macadamias. Products are sold directly to consumers via the brand's Shopify e-commerce store and through U.S. retail/grocery distribution, with select SKUs carrying Fair Trade Certified and Gluten Free Certified designations.
Is Squirrel Brand a public or private company?
Squirrel Brand is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Squirrel Brand founded?
Squirrel Brand was founded in 1888. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Squirrel Brand based?
Squirrel Brand is headquartered in Elgin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Squirrel Brand make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Retail Distribution.
Who are Squirrel Brand's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fisher Nuts, KAR's Nuts, Mariani Nut Company, Sahale Snacks and Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts. Broad incumbents are Blue Diamond Growers, Wonderful Pistachios, Emerald Nuts and Planters. Nut Harvest is listed as an emerging player.
Does Squirrel Brand have an API?
No public API is recorded for Squirrel Brand.
What industry is Squirrel Brand in?
Squirrel Brand's product category is Premium Snack Nuts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAF, Nuts, Seeds & Trail Mix Snacks, with a secondary code of CRAHAGAN, Specialty Food Gift Shops & Hampers. Its NAICS code is 445292 and its SIC code is 2000.