Evan and Beth Luter of Corning (Clay County) are seeing their dreams come true after pitching their Nona Belle’s Golden Fry breading mix to Walmart buyers at the retail giant’s Open Call event Oct. 7. They were one of 120 companies meeting with buyers, and the only one based in Arkansas.
The Luters, operating under the business name MTA Products DBA Sam and Sam’s, earned one of 55 ‘golden tickets’ Walmart handed out Oct. 7 and continue working with the retailer to get two of their seven items ready for select stores by mid-2027.
The couple acquired the breading mix brand and business from the founding family in August of last year. The breading mix originated in a one-time favorite Corning restaurant in the late 1960s owned by Sam and Nona Belle Banks. Beth Luter said the restaurant closed in 1974, but the Banks’ son Sam Jr. and daughter-in-law Barbara Banks continued to sell the breading mix under the Nona Belle’s Golden Fry brand. The breading recipe made from scratch by Nona Belle all those years ago is still selling well in 2026…