Fun fact about seahorses: they don’t have stomachs. This anatomical curiosity is precisely why they inspired the name of Seahorse Snacks, Stacy Martin’s Chattanooga, Tennessee-based gourmet nuts company.
Martin, 40, is not too shy to point out that she’s a bit like a seahorse. After discovering a rare genetic mutation that dramatically increased her risk for gastrointestinal cancer, she underwent a preventive surgical procedure in September 2019 that left her without a stomach. Once she needed smaller and more regular infusions of calories and nutrients, Martin relied on nuts and other protein-dense snacks in place of larger meals. But she quickly tired of eating the same nuts day in and out. She began experimenting with different combinations of seasonings – maple and chai, chilli and turmeric – to liven up her pistachios, cashews, pecans and almonds. They were delicious, and Martin began giving them to friends. From there, Seahorse Snacks was born.
