Take Your Next Product Extension Over the Finish Line with These Benefits of Almonds

The food and beverage industry is constantly changing. To keep up, product developers must consider alternative ingredient needs, supply chain strains, evolving consumer trends, and more. The Almond Board of California attended Natural Products Expo West in March and was excited to see firsthand how California almonds are serving as a solution for manufacturers who seek to address these influences.

• Manufacturers can provide new experiences with bold and global flavors using almonds as a base. With an appealing and neutral taste, almonds pair well with a wide variety of other foods and flavors. Brand extensions with new roasted almond flavors ranged from nostalgic favorites like Sea Salt and Vinegar to international profiles like Herbes De Provence.
• Portfolio extensions to offer plant-based products utilize almonds to solve alternative dairy ingredient needs. Consumer interest in personal and planetary health has heightened demand for plant-based options. Almond ingredients support plant-based innovation, such as almond paste and almond milk to provide creaminess in plant-based chocolate, frostings, and coatings. 
• When plant-based demand converges with sports nutrition innovation, product developers can include almond protein powder to help support plant-based protein claims. Defatted almond flour, or almond protein powder, is finely ground almond flour from which a percentage of the oil has been removed. Almond protein powder was included as a stand-alone in vanilla and chocolate flavors to add to smoothie or other beverages, and in a range of sports nutrition products like protein pancake and waffle mixes.

Click here to learn more about how almond ingredients can support alternative formulations.

Almonds in Action

Innovators think outside of the box to create new food and beverage products that excite consumers and fulfill evolving market demands. Manufacturers can utilize almonds ingredients to propel these products past the finish line. In these recipes, almonds do it all, from creamy plant-based spreads to spicy snacking.

From the Orchard

You may already be aware that almonds are just one of four valuable products grown in the orchard: the whole almond kernels we eat grow in a fuzzy outer hull, protected by a shell, on a tree. California almond farmers’ zero waste approach to their agricultural coproducts already includes utilizing almond hulls in animal feed and as a growing medium for mushroom cultivation to replace traditional peat moss. Now, a new research partnership between ABC and Mattson, a food and beverage innovation firm, explores expanded almond hulls applications in food and beverage for nutritional and almond farming sustainability benefits.

Mattson’s proof-of-concept research has found that almond hulls may have promising uses for human consumption, and with further adoption and demand from suppliers and manufacturers, almond hull flour could be a value-added ingredient bringing new nutritional, cost, and sustainability benefits in a variety of categories, such as:

• Nutritional value in performance nutrition bars and bread: Mattson found that almond hull flour performs well in performance nutrition bars, adding more fiber and antioxidants compared to traditional bars on the market. In bread, Mattson achieved a “good source of fiber” claim without additional fiber-boosting ingredients by substituting a percentage (5.2%) of almond hull flour for all-purpose flour.  
• Reduce costs and improve sustainability of coffee production: Mattson’s research indicates that almond hull flour may be used as a bulking agent in traditional ground coffee, replacing up to 10-20% of beans. With further exploration, manufacturers could consider incorporating ground and roasted almond hulls to reduce sourcing costs and play a key role in agricultural upcycling. 

Craving More Crunch?

We’re looking forward to exhibiting at IFT in Chicago, IL this July!

ABC will be showcasing innovative almond recipes, including forward-thinking almond snack products developed by Drexel Food Lab students. Visit booth (#S1111) to pick up a sample, and to connect with our team for the latest almond resources on consumer demand research, sustainability, and more.

Please reach out to foodprofessionals@almonds.com if you’d like to schedule a meeting with ABC experts.