Jump to: Meet the Team
In 2000, we went to a lecture about the raw food diet. We were into organic health foods and we were always looking for ways to better optimize our health. The lecture was so motivational and inspiring that it literally changed our lives! It really delivered a unique perspective on food and a philosophy of life that resonated deeply with where we were at during this phase of our lives.
With our exuberant enthusiasm about our new raw food lifestyle and our eco-conscious business skills that we learned from creating and running our other company Intellihemp (lip balm made with hemp seed oil) we were ready to start a new company.
The Living Nutz company began in 2002 with a core purpose, to create the best tasting Certified Organic raw food gourmet treats on the planet! Our approach is simple as our intentions were to make an easy to digest organic treat with the most amazing tastes that exist today! We believe in minimally processed and raw foods. That is why we do not roast our nuts. Roasting nuts changes the healthy oils into unhealthy oils and will cause a breakdown of their fats and the production of free radicals.
First, we soak (sprout) them for several hours. Why? The main reason is because nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors. The purpose of these enzyme inhibitors is to protect the nut or seed until it has what it needs for growing.
By sprouting and then rinsing nuts and seeds, you release and eliminate these toxic enzyme inhibitors AND increase the life and vitality contained within them, and making them easier to digest.
After we soak the nuts, we marinate them in our different flavors while we gently dehydrate them at low temperatures.
So there you have it. It’s a lengthy process over several days, where roasting would take only 10-15 minutes. Why go through all this? This process helps maintain the integrity and life force of the food product, earning us our company’s name: LIVINGNUTZ!
Davy was born with a deep love for nature and a natural talent for gourmet food preparation. As a father, he is very passionate about his family and works diligently to ensure their healthy future. He is an avid fitness enthusiast and also enjoys practicing, creating, and playing music. Davy devotes many hours to growing food and herbs which he uses to create culinary masterpieces for his family. He has an affinity for animals, especially his three cats and his dog.
Many years ago, Davy made a decision to live in as healthy a way as possible, which led to a passion for personal, societal, and global health. Along with his brother Seth, Davy set out to create a company that reflected their personal values of a healthy world for all. Twenty years later, Living Nutz is stronger than ever, as is Davy and Seth’s shared passion to help foster a healthier world. Davy walks his talk, making both his company and his lifestyle true labors of love. When you support Living Nutz, you are supporting a small family owned business that exemplifies the virtues of a thriving, functional family. Now that’s something you can feel good about!
Seth is a self-published author, loving father, public speaker, performing musician, and co-founder of Living Nutz. Maintaining a healthy diet and learning how to be discerning when making choices are each part of Seth’s inner strategy and one that he helps others develop.
In his free time Seth is a devout meditation and heart & brain coherence practitioner. He leads experiential workshops that help people cultivate the internal resources necessary to develop resiliency and internal strength when faced with adversity. As a result of his vast life experiences, Seth has made a vow to his own inner higher power that he will do all he can to live his life in a way that strives to create global solutions for a better world. Like his brother Davy, he has a deep love of nature and of life!
Jodi has always had a passion for food and began working at a health food store at a young age. She went on to study horticulture in college and to work for Martha Stewart on her TV show and then as Head Gardener on her property. This experience taught Jodi a lot about food, vegetables, and of course gardening!
Jodi works side by side with Davy running Living Nutz. Her kind heart and eye for organization make her an invaluable asset to the company. She constantly has a smile on her face and always strives for perfection. She is also an integral part of the website development and brand updating processes.
Jodi comes from an artistic family and is particularly interested in photography, graphic design, and garden design. She loves snowboarding, biking, and relaxing at the beach. She and Davy have three beautiful daughters.
Holly grew up in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. When she’s not fulfilling daily orders or ordering supplies at Living Nutz, you’ll likely find her hiking, biking, reading, practicing yoga, taking photographs, studying astrology, or appreciating nature. Her greatest joy comes from spending time with family and friends, in particular her granddaughter. Holly says that seeing life through her granddaughter’s eyes is remarkable.
Just like the rest of the Living Nutz team, Holly loves to travel. She has been up and down the eastern coastline as well as to a few countries in the Caribbean. Of all the places she’s visited, Acadia National Park right here in Maine remains her favorite. Holly has a deep love for the beautiful coastline, lakes, mountains, and forests in Maine.
Holly has always been passionate about health and wellbeing, which is reflected in her dedication to consuming local, organic, and gluten-free foods. She never passes up an opportunity to enjoy some Living Nutz Divine Chocolate Walnuts!
By title, Mike is the Production Manager, but really, he is so much more than that. He is also our Head Chef and oversees all nuts and seeds through their stay at Living Nutz - from the time they arrive on our doorstep through the soaking, dehydrating, sometimes flavoring, and packaging processes. He takes pride in ensuring all our products are the best they can be. He loves all kinds of music and is the perfect company DJ. No bad tunes around here!
Outside of work, Mike is a family man. Father of 4 and grandfather of 6, he enjoys spending as much time with them as he can. He is also an avid consumer of news and current events and enjoys studying American history. He is full of fun stories, like how he and a friend got to interview musician Frank Zappa in the 80s. Just like his children, Mike loves all Living Nutz products, but especially the spicier flavored nuts (i.e. Mayan Chili Pistachios and Absolute Chi Teriyaki Almonds, to name a few).
Brian is a true team player at Living Nutz. He is in charge of making our stone ground nut butters and helps Mike with production in the kitchen. He lends his strength to Davy when heavy deliveries of nuts and seeds arrive and is also involved in training new Living Nutz team members.
Brian fits perfectly on our team as helping people is one of his passions. He served two tours in Iraq as an Army Medic and worked in the adult mental health field for several years. Being able to connect with individuals on a deep level gives him great joy.
A Mainer at heart, Brian loves the four seasons. Along with his wife Lily and dog Sophie, he lives on a 28 acre homestead and enjoys sharing what he produces there with visitors and friends. Of all the Living Nutz products he’s involved in making, Passionate Pesto Walnuts are his favorite, with the Zesty Almonds being a close second. We are so grateful to have him!
After spending most of her life in New England – and 5 years in Maine – Merrill recently moved across the country to California. Always up for an adventure, you can often find her experimenting in the kitchen, walking, kayaking, or, of course, traveling. Merrill loves finding and creating new recipes (which consist primarily of nuts, seeds, nut butter, and chocolate). At Living Nutz, Merrill works behind the scenes creating social media content, working on our website, and copy editing so we can effectively communicate with our amazing customers.
Merrill is passionate about health, health freedom, and forming meaningful connections with both people and nature. While she adores Maine’s gorgeous rocky coastline, her favorite place in the world is Ireland. Her favorite Living Nutz product is our Passionate Pesto Walnuts. She can’t go a day without pesto!
Veda may be the newest member of our team, but she is already putting in more than her fair share of work as the official Living Nutz mascot! Veda came into the world in September 2021 and we can’t get enough of her cuteness. We shower her with love every day and look forward to seeing her become the future owner of Living Nutz!
It's safe to say Living Nutz would not exist without Stephanie and Howie. Not only are they Davy and Seth's parents, Stephanie and Howie have contributed countless hours to building Living Nutz. When we say we're a family business, we mean it! Stephanie and Howie have been an integral part of our company's growth, and we are so thankful for them.
In their free time, they enjoy spending time outdoors, creating new recipes (using Living Nutz of course), and visiting with their grandchildren. Just as they can't pick a favorite child or grandchild, they have a hard time picking their favorite Living Nutz product - they simply love them all!
