Meet Cyrilla Suwarsa

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cyrilla Suwarsa. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cyrilla below.

Cyrilla, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

My journey to finding purpose came from an unexpected challenge. As a graphic designer in NYC, I was living a fast-paced, creative life when I was diagnosed with Lupus. It is an autoimmune disorder that attacks your own body and organs. The diagnosis devastated me. Since I wasn’t able to work, I returned home to Indonesia to be with my family.

During my recovery, my sister bought raw cashews directly from a farming community in Central Java, Indonesia, and began roasting them using our grandmother’s recipe. She asked me to help by designing the packaging. We took our cashews to the local market, where they sold out immediately. In that small, unexpected moment, I began to see a new path.

My family has always been my inspiration. My grandmother’s love for cooking and my dad’s entrepreneurial spirit gave us the courage to turn this tiny spark into Nuts+Nuts, a women-owned business dedicated to creating high-quality, farm-sourced cashews and almonds. Today, our mission goes beyond just nuts; it’s about fostering a community that loves and cherishes healthy, clean food, and honoring the farming communities that support us.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Hello, thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I’m Cyrilla Suwarsa, born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. I moved to the United States to study Graphic Design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and began my career in New York City—a thrilling step in my creative journey. However, everything changed when I was diagnosed with Lupus, which led me back to Indonesia for support and recovery. During this time, my sister and I started Nuts+Nuts.

What makes Nuts+Nuts special is our commitment to transparency and quality—from sourcing directly with farmers to sharing the stories behind our ingredients. In 2018, we moved to California, where we expanded our offerings to include California almond. We traveled throughout the San Joaquin Valley to partner with an almond farm that offered high-quality almonds, an ideal flavor profile, and innovative farming practices.

In 2023, we were honored to win the Good Food Award in the Snack category. Today, we’re excited to expand globally, with plans to introduce even more flavors to our roasted nut selections in 2025.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I’d say three qualities essential to my journey have been resilience, creativity, and connecting. Each has helped me navigate the unexpected challenges of my health and building a business from the ground up.

Resilience became vital after my Lupus diagnosis, which brought my life to a standstill. My advice to anyone facing major challenges is to take each day as it comes and focus on small steps forward. Be grateful for each day. Living with a chronic illness taught me that progress may be slow, but every step forward is meaningful. Embrace your inner strength, even on the hardest days—there is always hope, so never give up, and try to make the best of what you have.

Creativity was also key. Moving from graphic design to building a food brand with my sister allowed me to channel my creativity in new ways—from designing packaging to creating a brand story. For those starting their journey, I encourage you to explore how your unique skills and perspective can enrich what you do; this can set you apart and bring fulfillment.

Connecting has been invaluable, especially building authentic relationships with partners and customers has deepened our mission. My advice is to seek out meaningful connections, listen to people’s stories, and recognize the impact you can have together. You just have to connect and put yourself out there because you never know who you will meet along the way. When you work with a mindset of connection, you create a community that believes in your journey.

Each of these qualities has shaped me and the company, and I hope they inspire others. For anyone living with chronic illness, remember that life holds possibilities. Believe in your ability to make a difference, and trust that a path forward exists—even if it unfolds differently than you’d imagined.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

At Nuts+Nuts, we’re especially interested in partnering with brands focused on ethically sourced ingredients, sustainable farming, wellness, or healthy living. We’re excited to connect with chefs, artisans, food brands, gift basket companies, event planners, and retailers who want to bring high-quality products to their customers.

If you’re passionate about creating thoughtful, sustainable products and want to collaborate, please reach out! You can connect with me via email at [email protected]. Thank you!

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