Page 35 - Ameft Journal 2021-III

Almonds: Enriching confectionaries and enticing customers globally Evolving consumer demands are keeping the chocolate category spry with new iterations and exciting flavors, formats and textures. Almonds play a key role in helping manufacturers create products that satisfy consumers. The Almond Board of California’s 2020 Global Chocolate Study, which surveyed global consumers to under- stand their chocolate preferences, found that almonds are the number one ingredient chosen for inclusion in consumers’ “ideal” chocolate prod- ucts. Surveyed global consumers per- ceived almonds as the top nut for mak- ing chocolate more nostalgic, natural, higher quality, and guilt-free. Because of almonds’ popularity among consumers, their usage endured in 2020 despite disruptions caused by COV- ID-19 to the food industry. According to Innova Market Insights’ 2020 Global Confectionery is the number one category for new almond product introductions*; and almonds are the number one ingredient surveyed among global consumers who se- lected almond as their “ideal” chocolate product** New Product Introductions Report, al- monds were the number one nut for global new product introductions in 2020. Confectionery is the top product category for global almond introduc- tions, holding 22% of total almond in- troductions. In Asia-Pacific, almonds are the #1 nut for confectionery introductions and are well-suited to fulfill the re- gion’s fast-growing health claims. In Asia-Pacific, vegan (+21%) and plant- based (+58%) claims experienced double-digit growth in 2020, and both claims are among the top ten health claims on total almond introductions. When compared ounce for ounce, al- monds are the tree nut highest in vita- min E and riboflavin, and a one-ounce serving of almonds provides six grams of power-packed protein and four grams of fiber. B O (Source: Almond Board of California) B A AK KE ER R Y Y, ,C CO N NF F E E C C T T I I O O N N E E R R Y Y& &S S N N A AC CK KS S www.ameft.com AMEFT 3 2021 35