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With Blue Diamond, the
World is Your Almond
Adding Value Through Expertise and Partnership
CORNERING THE MARKET
“Food companies the world over continue to embrace almonds as the
most versatile, affordable and healthful tree nut ingredient available,”
said Warren Cohen, Director of Worldwide Sales for Blue Diamond
Almonds Global Ingredient division. “We are experiencing dynamic
growth around the world. China is now nearly two-thirds the size of the
world’s largest market, the United States.”
Data from a 2011 study supplied by Innova Market Insights shows
Asia led all countries in new snack item introductions, generating
approximately 40 percent of the global snack launches from mid-2010 to
mid-2011. “Our customers see almonds as a value-adding ingredient that
boosts the quality of their branded products,” said Cohen.
The versatility of this tree nut has almost endless possibilities with how it can
be used in food applications, enabling Blue Diamond’s ingredient customers
to create innovative new products with almonds. “As a true partner, we
have to bring the highest value to our customers,” Cohen explained.
For Blue Diamond, that means more than filling an order — it means
filling in the blanks and asking the right questions. “Suggesting
alternatives that are just right for their product, from the perfect crunch
in chocolates to a flavor profile that complements their cereal,” Cohen
said. “After all, one almond doesn’t fit all. Fortunately, we have the
variety, the forms and expertise to meet customers’ exacting specifications
and the uninterrupted supply that keeps them on schedule.”
Blue Diamond’s Global Ingredient division reaches more than 90
countries around the world. Global customers seek out Blue Diamond for
their almond needs because the cooperative lends expertise in product
development, quality control and food safety programs.
North American Almond Products
Popular Across Categories
As Blue Diamond’s largest and most
mature market, North
American customers
know almonds well. John
Wagaman, a veteran sales
manager for the Global
Ingredients team, recognizes the
knowledge of his customers and
appreciates their insight when
requesting unique products.
“The fun part of working with
ingredient customers in North America
is how well they know almonds and the
value almonds bring to their products,”
he explained.
The foundation for many of Blue
Diamond’s relationships with customers in
North America was established decades
ago, a testament to the inherent value
of working with the leader in almonds.
Many iconic confectionary products
containing almonds have come from
Blue Diamond. “One obvious benefit is
the scale Blue Diamond brings to our
ingredient customers. We can front load
a new product launch that might require
multiple truckloads of a unique almond
ingredient in a very short period of
time,” Wagaman said.
In grocery stores across North America,
Wagaman listed the various product
categories where Blue Diamond almonds
are used as an ingredient. “It is with
the greatest of joy that a Blue Diamond
grower-owner or employee can walk the
grocery aisles of their local store and find
food containing almonds in numerous
locations — from famous candy bars
or delicious cereals and cereal bars, to
snack nuts and ice cream.”
Traditional Almond
Recipes Fuel Western
Europe
Europe is a well-developed market,
steeped in traditional culinary creations
that include almonds as a key ingredient.
Across the European Union almonds
play a distinct role, from French pastries
to German confections, Italian nougat to
almond snacks in the United Kingdom.