Walnuts Continued from Page 6
into the produce area, we will continue to see improved sales of California walnuts both domestically and internationally,” he added. A sales boost is needed after last year’s crop, forecast at 710,000 tons by the U.S. Department of Agriculture but came in at close to 810,000 tons, the second largest in history, Verloop said. Producers have been on a pricing roll- er-coaster, with walnuts peaking near $1.88 a pound in 2013-14, crashing at roughly 25 cents a pound amid a global glut in 2022-23 and rebounding to an average of about 93 cents a pound in 2024-25, according to the most recent USDA data. This year’s crop should be smaller than last year’s, Verloop said. But Red Bluff grower Tyler Christensen said he still has “a pretty decent-sized crop” and that he’s excited about the quality. As a grower, Christensen said he appre- ciates the industry’s produce-aisle push. “We’re just always looking to expand our markets so more people will compete to buy our product back to a sustainable level,” he said. Verloop said he’s optimistic the industry will see increased consumption. “We’re very bullish on where the market can go and where it can grow,” he said. Tim Hearden is a reporter in Redding. He can be reached at agalert@cfbf.com.
That recognition, coupled with a grow- ing body of nutrition research linking regular walnut consumption to benefits ranging from brain health to male fertility, led the industry to promote walnuts as a nutritious snack. More recently, however, the rapid growth of the plant-based meat sector and renewed interest in home cook- ing during the COVID-19 pandemic shift- ed the industry’s focus toward positioning walnuts as a versatile cooking ingredient. In 2020, the walnut board and commis- sion released a product guide for bakeries and pastry shops to encourage the use of walnuts in everyday baked goods, includ- ing breads, pastries, cakes, cookies and pie crusts. The industry also promoted walnuts as a versatile ingredient for glu- ten-free and low-carbohydrate recipes. Having come from the produce industry four years ago, Verloop led a reexamina- tion of that strategy and noted that placing walnuts solely on the baking aisle became a barrier to consumption. “Obviously, it provides texture and fla- vor, but in the baking aisle … they put it next to sugar, flour and indulgent items like chocolate,” Verloop said. “It doesn’t have the same connotation as a healthy, nutritious nut.” Verloop, who was born in Holland, not- ed that tree nuts are part of the culture in Europe and “were always on the table,” as
In this promotional photo, the California Walnut Board and Commission is trying to change the perception that walnuts are simply for baking by positioning the tree nut in the produce section.
they are in the Middle East and India. “It’s seen as a snacking item and less as an ingredient,” he added. Further, while the industry sells between 55 million and 60 million pounds of wal- nuts in various forms annually in retail, it has been selling only about 7 million pounds a year to food service, which is more likely to use the nuts as an ingredi- ent, Verloop said. Even in retail, the baking aisle gets
less traffic than most other parts of the store, noted Jack Mariani, a producer in Winters who chairs the walnut board’s marketing, promotions and business de- velopment committee. “Our recent efforts to move walnuts into the produce section is long overdue and seems to be a great improvement and (is) bringing our fresh and healthy product to consumers in the area where they do their most healthy shopping,” Mariani said. “As more stores convert our production
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