Arcade Snacks

Arcade Snacks began in 1986 as a family nut-roasting business. George and Ann Ethier started at home and, with their sons Rick Haufe and TJ Ethier, brought roasted cashews to outlets such as Cup a’ Nuts at Boston Logan International Airport. The company grew from Acton and later operated in Hudson and Northborough before settling in Auburn.

Today, the company works from a 17,000-square-foot facility and combines wholesale distribution, snack-mix production, and a retail store. Its catalog spans more than 300 varieties of nuts, dried fruit, candy, chocolate, and snacks. The selection ranges from simple grab-and-go items to prepared mixes and seasonal sweets.

Cashews remain a recognizable part of the business: Arcade Snacks roasts them on-site and offers oversized varieties, plain or seasoned. The selection also includes pistachios, walnuts, coated nuts, dried fruit, trail mixes, and snack blends. In the store, products are organized by category and can be purchased for personal use or to stock a business.

Wholesale accounts for most of the company’s business, according to Arcade Snacks. It names hotels, restaurants, clubs, confectioners, and retailers across the United States among its customers; smaller local establishments can receive personal delivery. The retail store supports a different scale of purchase, with bags and assortments ready to take home.

The company’s growth also changed its production. Arcade Snacks says it began experimenting with snack mixes in Northborough and later built its operation at the current Auburn facility. There, roasting, preparation, packaging, and distribution sit alongside a product line that includes The 19th Hole mix, candy, chocolate, and fruit with coatings.

The holiday season brings its own assortment. In fall and during the holidays, the team makes chocolate turtles with freshly roasted pecans and George’s Famous Marshmallow Pops, which Arcade Snacks describes as a seasonal gift. The store also organizes items for birthdays, Easter, graduations, Halloween, and other occasions.

Arcade Snacks says it holds SQF certification and kosher certification from KVH. The combination of production, distribution, and direct retail gives the business a hybrid character: it can supply a company with recurring orders while also serving someone who stops in for freshly roasted nuts or a sweet assortment to share.