Promoting Recovery Through Almond Add-Ons
The partnership will feature a limited-time offer (LTO) from March to May 2025, during which Smoothie King locations nationwide will promote almonds as an optional add-on for smoothies. Customers will be able to enhance their drinks with whole almonds, almond milk or almond butter, all while learning about the role almonds play in post-exercise recovery.
“This initiative is about more than just sales,” Morin said. “It’s about educating consumers on how almonds can support their fitness and recovery routines. The ‘almond recovery benefits’ at the point of sale will reinforce this connection.”
The promotion will be supported by Smoothie King’s in-store signage, digital campaigns and staff recommendations to ensure maximum visibility and engagement.
The Role of Food Service in Driving Trends
According to Morin, food service is a critical channel for shaping consumer behavior and introducing new food trends.
“Food service is where trends are born,” she noted. “Think about avocado toast — it started in restaurants and eventually became a household staple. By partnering with Smoothie King, we’re positioning almonds to stay relevant and influential in the health and wellness space.”
Launching the Partnership at The Almond Conference
The announcement was made during The Almond Conference, an annual event that brings together industry leaders, researchers, and partners. ABC introduced the partnership in a lively and interactive way, inviting attendees to participate in a hands-on experience, using blender bikes to create their own almond-based smoothies. The event highlighted the partnership’s goals while generating excitement for its rollout in 2025.
“The Almond Conference provided the perfect platform to share this exciting news,” said Morin. “It allowed us to connect directly with stakeholders and showcase how this partnership will position almonds as an aid to consumer exercise recovery.”
Measuring Success and Future Plans
This collaboration marks ABC’s first national limited-time offer with a major food service chain. The campaign will allow ABC to gather valuable insights into consumer preferences, perceptions and purchase behaviors. These learnings will be used to refine future programs and partnerships.
“We’ve never done anything like this before, so it’s an exciting opportunity,” Morin said. “We’re eager to see how consumers respond and to use these insights to inform our strategies moving forward.”
The promotion aligns with peak smoothie season, as consumers focus on health and wellness in the spring and early summer months.
A Bold Step Forward for Almonds
The partnership with Smoothie King demonstrates ABC’s commitment to innovation and consumer engagement. By tapping into Smoothie King’s health-focused audience, ABC aims to highlight almonds as a supporting ingredient to exercise recovery while driving demand across multiple almond products.
“This partnership is the perfect way to tell the story of almonds and recovery,” Morin said. “It’s about ensuring almonds remain at the forefront of consumer trends while meeting the growing demand for health and wellness solutions.”
As the campaign launches in 2025, the collaboration is poised to make a lasting impact on how consumers incorporate almonds into their daily routines.
