Emerald Expands Distribution to College Campuses

29/10/07 Diamond Foods, Inc., a leading branded food company specializing in processing, marketing and distributing culinary nuts and snack products, is expanding distribution of its Emerald and Emerald Harmony brand snack products this fall to approximately 400 U.S. college campuses. Sodexho, a leading provider of integrated food and facilities management services, is now featuring Emerald and Emerald Harmony products in its Smart Market -- the "grab and go" section of college cafeterias.

"We are proud to be the exclusive snack food supplier to Sodexho's Smart Market program, which offers busy college students quick and easy access to nutritious foods from manufacturers with strong brand recognition," said Dick Wolf, vice president of ingredient and foodservice, U.S. and Canada, Diamond Foods. "Diamond Foods has been concentrating this past year on building new channels of distribution. This program is part of that expansion and represents the first time our Emerald snacks have been sold on a large scale on college campuses."

More than 70 different snack products are available for Smart Market sale, including Emerald brand traditional snack nuts like mixed nuts, almonds and cashews; unique sweet and savory glazed nuts, and trail mixes and Emerald Harmony brand nuts, seeds, dried fruit, trail mixes and sweet snacks. Selections are offered in both immediate consumption and multi-serve package options and include the company's newest offerings such as Emerald Smoked Almonds and Emerald Barbeque, Chipotle and Wasabi Oven Roasted Peanuts, which the company feels will especially appeal to college students who tend to seek products that reflect the latest trends and flavor profiles.

"Our consumer research shows that Emerald has been successful in attracting new, younger users to the snack nut category through innovative product offerings, portable packaging and contemporary advertising campaigns," said Andrew Burke, senior vice president of marketing, Diamond Foods. "Emerald sales continue to outpace category growth and I think this shows that we are achieving our goal of adding variety and excitement to the snack nut category." According to IRI Food InfoScan data (12 weeks ended 9/9/07), Emerald sales are enjoying a growth rate of 36% -- more than 16 times that of overall snack nut category growth of 2.2%.

The Emerald snack line, which has expanded from 14 to 23 products since its national introduction in August 2004, has distribution in approximately 84% of the nation's grocery stores. The brand is quickly gaining additional distribution in drug stores, convenience stores, club stores and mass merchandising outlets as well. Diamond Foods acquired certain assets of snack manufacturer Harmony Foods and its strategically located Midwest manufacturing facility in 2006. The Harmony product line is in the process of being rebranded Emerald Harmony.