A couple of nuts and a great idea

From far away, the two figures casting their fishing lines into the tumbling surf of the Atlantic Ocean looked as though they didn’t have a care in the world. It’s hard to imagine that these two young men, laughing and trading stories, fishing more for the love of it than for any particular catch, are not on vacation. Their office is only a few yards away, right off of Palm Blvd. and this is their every-other-day lunch break.
Once the stress of the day has washed away with the outgoing tide and been flung away with each sweep of their fishing lines, Michael Porcaro and Gregory Zaccaro pack it in and go back to putting together their second business in ten years; The Charleston Nut Company.
Both natives of Chicago, these born-again southerners have lived the American dream. Their fathers moved to Chicago from Italy and worked relentlessly to establish one of the largest bakeries in Illinois, Gonnela’s, now a national distributor for all-things-bread.
Taking a page from their parents’ book, the two boys forsook their dreams of playing professional hockey and started working for a Chicago dry goods company. Michael was the first to start working in the business, but his first cousin, Greg, followed a few months later.
After spending a few years working for the corporation and learning the tricks of the trade, they both realized that the blood, sweat and tears they were pouring into their work would be far more worth it if they actually owned the business; and The Tides Commodity Trading Group was born.
Working originally from a shipping closet and close enough that their noses brushed across their shared desk, the boys began with almost no money and an income of pure commission. Each year brought in a little more, broadening their supply to more countries and reaching further and further into more distant markets.
Finally, Michael and Greg reached the point where their business could be run from anywhere in the world from a cell phone and computer, so they packed their bags and, following the suggestion of Michael’s wife Michelle, an Isle of Palms native, they moved to the islands.
“I love Chicago, I always will, but it’s not a place that I think about and miss,” said Greg, remembering his home town. “When we travel to create new markets or buy new products, I don’t think ‘man, I wish I was back in Chicago’, but once we moved here, that was it.” Michael nodded in agreement, “Even if we’re in some tropical country, I still miss it here. There really is no place like the islands.”
And we’re glad that they decided to stay, because their new venture, Charleston Nut Company, is something the South is definitely in need of. With their official opening this past January, Michael and Greg are already in talks with a company called Tee-Zel, a state-wide distributor of golf snacks. With this massive boost, Michael and Greg are looking forward to spreading their new company throughout South Carolina and eventually across the East Coast. “This company will never be as big as the Tides Trading Group,” said Michael, “but that’s how we want it. We want to stay focused and provide the best products we can to the people who demand them the most.”
And what, specifically, is it that the Charleston Nut Company distributes? Well, nuts, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “We’ll have every type of nut you can imagine from all over the world, but we’ll also have raisins, dried fruit, essential oils, oils and extracts, fruit purees and concentrates, flavors; just about everything dried and gourmet.” Michael said with a grin. All products that have needed a good wholesale supplier since they have become pretty pricey, typically going through several hands before it reaches the consumer. Now, not only can restaurants, grocery stores and mom and pop shops get these dried goods and oils for much cheaper, the Charleston Nut Company has also made their products available straight to the consumer.
“We’re hoping to eventually open a store front, but for now, you could call us and say ‘I need two pounds of pistachios and quart of macadamia nut oil’ and most likely we could swing by and just drop it off for you.” Greg said jovially.
Most of the Charleston Nut Company's products are available on their website, located at www.charlestonnutcompany.com and more than likely, you’ll get a chance to see them rushing by on delivery in their company van, just a couple of nuts with a great idea and a business ethic of ‘whatever you need, we’ll get it” that makes them, more than anything else, official southern gentlemen.