Checkout Chats: PJ Oleksak, CEO of Nuts.com

Long before ".com" was even a concept, Nuts.com was selling, well... nuts. Now, under the leadership of CEO PJ Oleksak (the 1st woman and non-family member to lead), this century-old family business is proving that heritage brands can innovate at startup speed—without losing their soul in the process.

A Journey From Numbers to Nuts

Though PJ Oleksak's path to Nuts.com started in investment banking, food entrepreneurship runs in her blood. Growing up surrounded by her grandmother's pizzerias and her mother's Italian delis, she developed an early appreciation for family-owned food businesses. But it was her love of numbers that first shaped her career, leading her from investment banking to private equity, where she discovered her passion for consumer products and logistics companies.

The real turning point came when Oleksak witnessed an operating partner transform a portfolio company as interim CEO. This experience led her to FreshDirect, where she spent eight years scaling the business from $300 million to $800 million in revenue. As co-founder of FreshDirect's on-demand division, FoodKick, she gained invaluable insights into how traditional food retail could adapt to modern consumer behaviors. 

But after nearly a decade of building FreshDirect's digital presence, Oleksak was ready for a new challenge: helping a century-old brand navigate the modern retail landscape.

Reimagining a Legacy Brand

When Oleksak arrived at Nuts.com, she found something rare in today's startup-saturated landscape: a healthy business with deep roots and strong fundamentals, led by third-generation owner Jeff Braverman. But she faced a unique challenge: scaling while maintaining authenticity.

"What got us here may not get us to climb the next summit," Oleksak explains. Her approach to modernization focuses on three key areas:

1. Product evolution: Understanding and anticipating customer expectations. While bulk nuts and dried fruit remain core to their business, Oleksak is leading Nuts.com into innovative territory with products like their chocolate-covered fruit-dusted nuts and keto-friendly snacks.

"We're not just selling commodities. We're creating unique products that you can't find anywhere else."

2. Channel strategy: Meeting customers wherever they shop. Rather than following the typical DTC-to-retail playbook, Nuts.com is taking a more nuanced approach. They're doubling down on their digital expertise while strategically exploring retail opportunities (👀).

"It's about being wherever our customer wants to shop, but doing it in a way that makes sense for our business model." 

3. Authentic communication: Speaking to different generations while maintaining trust. The challenge? Speaking to both the grandfather who's been buying their nuts for 40 years and his Gen Z granddaughter who discovers them on TikTok. Oleksak's team achieves this by maintaining their trusted, straightforward tone while adapting to modern platforms.

"Whether you're reading our newsletter or seeing our social media, you're getting the same Nuts.com—just tailored to the platform."

But what really sets Nuts.com apart in today's CPG landscape? Their ability to innovate—fast—thanks to their manufacturing facility in Cranford, New Jersey. “It’s like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory,” says Oleksak. "We'll sit in a strategy session around product innovation, and three days later, they'll come back with samples."

Lessons for Modernizing Heritage Brands

For leaders tasked with transforming legacy businesses, Oleksak shares three essential principles that challenge conventional wisdom about modernizing heritage brands:

1. Immerse yourself in the brand's history. It's tempting to walk in with a playbook from past successes, but Oleksak emphasizes starting fresh with each brand: "Every company is so different. You can have a similar portfolio—I mean, look at all the different grocery stores. Each environment is really, really different. And therefore, what they win at is also really different." She stresses that understanding both internal culture and customer perception is critical before making any changes.

2. Bring the founder along for the ride. Many incoming leaders try to implement change unilaterally, but Oleksak advocates for partnership with founders: "It's like asking someone to help you co-raise your kid. They've already identified they need help on that journey. But it's still really hard." Success comes from making transformation a collaborative process, not a takeover.

3. Let data lead the way. While respecting tradition is crucial, Oleksak believes in letting data challenge long-held assumptions.

"Great legacy brands are willing to listen to research and data and tests even if it tells them something very different than their gut or what they've won at historically"

This data-driven approach ensures modernization efforts are grounded in evidence rather than just trendy thinking.

Looking Forward

As Nuts.com prepares for its next chapter (including some exciting retail developments they're keeping under wraps), Oleksak's approach offers a masterclass in thoughtful transformation. By balancing respect for legacy with forward-thinking strategy, she's showing how century-old businesses can thrive in the digital age—one innovation at a time.

"I don't live in fear of cannibalization. I'm big on leveraging data and test-and-learning and really listening and thinking about where things are going."

It's this fearless yet thoughtful approach that's helping write the next chapter of this American family business success story.