Getting to know John from QV Nut Co
This month we caught up with John from QV Nut Co, home to 100% natural peanut butter made on the spot! John shares the history of the stall and how the business has adapted during the pandemic.
Can you tell us a bit about QV Nut Co and how it started?
Our stall at Queen Vic Market was originally my grandfather’s, who was a fruiterer at the Market in the early 1930s. He passed away in 1957 and my father inherited the business and decided to change the stall to a nut stand. At the age of 83 my dad decided it was too much, so I took it over. My dad had me going in on the weekends to help him out from the age of ten so I was familiar with all the customers and all the stallholders.
QV Nut Co is a family business. What’s it like working with family members?
Working with my family is good. It’s great being able to teach my daughter selling points and explain where products come from, just like my dad did with me.
The majority of your nuts are locally-sourced throughout Australia. Why is this so important to you?
The majority of our nuts and dried fruit are Australian. We try to source mainly Aussie products to try and keep the money in Australia. We also find our customers prefer locally-grown products.
Aside from nuts, what else do you sell at QV Nut Co?
We sell a huge variety of nuts; raw and roasted and chocolate covered, plus dried fruit, dried beans, seeds, snack foods, coffee and a large selection of spices, which keeps growing every time our customers ask for one we don’t have. Our fresh 100% natural peanut butter is also popular – it’s made on the spot!
Can you run us through a typical day at the Market?
A typical day at the Market starts at 6am. I have my regular customers come quite early in the morning. Things have changed a little since Covid-19. A lot of the office workers aren’t in the city at the moment so they try to come on the weekend.
How have you had to adapt QV Nut Co to become more online-friendly during the pandemic?
When Covid-19 hit we had to change it up and went online. Our regular customers were out of the 5km range so we started doing deliveries to reach them.
Now, we know this is going to be difficult, but what is your favourite nut of all time?
I can’t really say I have one favourite nut. I love cashews, walnuts and pecans; it’s too hard to choose just one! Our Australian 100% natural dried mango is also amazing and definitely a favourite of mine.
What do you love most about Queen Victoria Market?
I love the Market, I’ve grown up in there, so it’s like my second home. You get to know the customers and meet new people from all over the world. It’s like a big extended family.
