The California Walnut Industry is Finding New Markets

Jennifer Williams is the Marketing Director of Domestic Advertising at the California Walnut Board. She said China was a big market for walnuts at one time.

“It actually was for quite a while and has tapered off recently. So, we're really concerned about India right now. That's one of the markets that we have focused on mitigating those trade barriers, as well as Turkey,” Williams said.

William said that India and Turkey are growing markets. “Yeah, we just gained access to India in 2013. And Turkey is definitely a growing market for us. We just began programs there within the last five years as well,” she said.

And the California Walnut Board is advancing the great health benefits of Walnuts. “Walnuts are the only tree nut with any significant source of Omega-3 ALA and the health benefits of walnuts definitely do play a role. We found in our consumer research that the health benefits of walnuts are definitely a purchase driver for consumers,” Williams said. “And we have found that more recently, our millennial consumers are not as concerned about individual health benefits, such as heart health or cognition, but care more about that health halo that walnuts have. Nut the health benefits of walnuts continue to impact purchase decisions with consumers.”