Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Tag: almond demand

  • Almond Board of California Looks to Improve India Marketing Strategy

    India remains the most important export market for California almonds, making it central to the industry’s long-term outlook. After reviewing how the market is changing, the Almond Board of California (ABC) concluded that past approaches alone will not be enough to fuel future growth. To meet long-term demand goals, the industry must reposition almonds for a new generation of Indian consumers.

    A High-Value Market with More Room to Grow

    India already has a strong almond consumption base. Almonds are widely recognized, associated with nutrition and consumed by more than half of households in some form.

    But that strength does not mean the market is saturated. Consumption varies sharply by region, with lower penetration in parts of the country, especially in the South. That gap points to opportunity. Future growth will come from reaching new consumers, new regions and new occasions.

    For growers, expanding total demand matters because broader consumption helps support long-term market stability and value.

    Identifying the Barriers to Continued Growth

    ABC research shows that almonds still hold a strong position in India, but perception challenges are beginning to limit growth. Among non-users and light users, three barriers stood out: low excitement, weak differentiation and limited understanding of why almonds deserve a place in everyday diets.

    Many consumers see almonds as dependable but somewhat dated. Some view them as interchangeable with other nuts, while others are unclear on how almonds fit into modern daily routines, especially in newer markets.

    That makes this a critical moment. A product that is widely known can still lose relevance with younger consumers if the industry does not actively refresh how it is positioned.

    A Rapidly Changing Consumer Landscape

    India’s consumer landscape is evolving. It is home to a young population, rising digital engagement and increasingly urban lifestyles that are reshaping how people discover and buy food.

    Younger consumers are influenced by health goals, personal ambition and digital culture. They are less responsive to traditional messages and more drawn to brands that feel modern, useful and relevant to everyday life.

    For almonds, that creates both risk and opportunity. Legacy messaging is losing strength, but a large, increasingly affluent population still offers major growth potential if almonds are positioned in a way that resonates now. — Story contributed by the Almond Board of California

  • Almond Board Works to Expand C and U Access

    When growers think about foodservice demand, restaurants and packaged foods often come to mind. But another foodservice segment is quietly shaping ingredient use, consumer preferences and long‑term demand: College and University (C and U) foodservice.

    C and U refers to on‑campus dining programs at colleges and universities. These programs feed students, faculty and staff every day across multiple venues and meals. Collectively, C and U foodservice represents an estimated $18 billion industry nationwide, with thousands of campuses and significant purchasing power. For almonds, it is a segment where scale and influence intersect.

    College campuses serve food continuously. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are offered seven days a week. Some campuses prepare tens of thousands of meals daily across dining halls, cafés, food trucks and catering operations. Even small ingredient decisions, when multiplied across millions of meals each year, can add up quickly.

    That scale is why the Almond Board of California engages with campus dining not only to encourage menu inclusion, but to help make almonds visible, desirable and repeatedly chosen by students. When almonds show up in everyday meals and beverages, they can influence preferences, normalize new uses beyond snacking and ultimately build long term demand.

    “College dining today looks very different than it did a generation ago,” the Almond Board of California recently wrote. “Many universities now operate chef‑driven programs that emphasize scratch cooking, global flavors and ingredient transparency. On some campuses, dining experiences rival what is found in major cities.”

    The Almond Board works with campus dining leaders, executive chefs and purchasers — especially at universities that manage their own dining programs — to make it easier to feature almonds in ways that are more appealing to students.

    “C­ and U foodservice represents a long-term investment in almond demand because it combines large-scale meal volume with an unusually strong ability to shape consumer choices,” the Almond Board wrote. “Campus dining teams influence what students try repeatedly, and those experiences can carry forward into habits and purchases after graduation.”

    For growers, this work may help keep almonds top-of-mind as these student-consumers navigate more choices and more competing ingredients.

    — Story contributed by the Almond Board of California