Thinking Out of the Shell: Innovation in New Products

One of California Almonds' greatest assets is versatility. Many varieties, sizes and forms, plus a rich taste and positive nutrition profile, make California Almonds a perfect feature ingredient for all types of food products. Panelists at the "Versatility and Innovation" session of the Almond Industry Conference talked about how they use almonds' unique qualities to add value to their new products.

Andrew Burke, senior vice-president of marketing for Diamond Foods, said, "The time is definitely right for almonds. You're creating real value in the marketplace by giving consumers a reason to believe in almonds' nutritional benefits. But we can broaden our thinking even more to fit almonds into additional snack and meal occasions."

True North, Frito-Lay's nut brand, was presented as a case study by Donna Diermeier, senior group manager of Frito-Lay North America's Nuts and Seeds Innovation group. Among Diermeier's observations was a wish list of almond "line extensions," including more flavor that blooms with roasting, a less-hard or more-brittle almond that is easier on the teeth, especially for "baby boomer" consumers, and a lower-fat variety. From a marketing standpoint, she says, "Keep doing what you're doing. The Almond Board is a role model for driving consumer awareness and passion."