Blue Diamond Launches New Roasted Almond Flavors for Ingredient Use

The four flavors were developed specifically for industrial customers to add both variety and taste to new product formulations, a unique alternative to using natural almonds.

08/06/09 Blue Diamond Growers will add four new flavors to its oil-roasted line of almonds for use as ingredients in snack, nut and trail mixes. With another bumper California crop of nearly 1.5 billion pounds of almonds expected this fall, the cooperative hopes to capture additional market share in the ingredients business by maximizing its leading position as innovator of oil-roasted flavored almonds like its flagship Smokehouse. A recent health claim for nuts has helped to recognize the almond's powerhouse nutrition benefits and has boosted consumer snacking of almonds to record levels in recent years. Blue Diamond expects to leverage its winning formula for developing new almond flavors by making them available to the global food buyers seeking innovative ingredients for new products.

The new flavors include Hickory Smoked, Kansas City Barbecue, Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa and Teriyaki. The four flavors were developed specifically for industrial customers to add both variety and taste to new product formulations, a unique alternative to using natural almonds. With rising popularity for ethnic and other culturally distinct flavors, Blue Diamond expanded its product mix to include both a Mexican-inspired Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa and Asian-influenced Teriyaki.

"Blue Diamond's new oil-roasted flavored almonds make a great tasting, healthful addition to any snack or trail mix," says Bill Morecraft, General Manager of the Industrial Business. "Not only do almonds add nutritional benefits to food products, but Blue Diamond can infuse a world of innovative flavors that will complement other ingredients and seasonings within any mix."

Marketing Director Bob Carroll agrees that "customer response has been overwhelming which indicates a strong interest in new product development for almonds." For example, he adds, "One customer was already in the process of creating a new Mexican-themed snack mix in which our new roasted almonds were the perfect addition to complete their ingredient combination."

The new flavors will be available in a 25lb. nitrogen-flushed nylon pouch and have a 18-month shelf life. All processing is done in a peanut free-facility.