With the aim of increasing walnut consumption this holiday season, the California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission have launched a direct-to-consumer marketing campaign to highlight the integral role walnuts play in festivities.
The new campaign aims to remind shoppers of the many ways they can enjoy California walnuts throughout the holiday season — from appetizers to desserts to everything in between, according to a news release. The campaign includes retail promotions, digital ads, influencer partnerships and recipe collections, among other tactics.
A new digital video, “The Holidays Just Aren’t the Holidays Without California Walnuts,” is now running online and on connected TV through Dec. 31 on major streaming services such as Roku and Sling, the release said.
Additionally, a custom recipe collection on Walnuts.org offers consumers innovative ways to add a twist to holiday recipe favorites and get the most value by using the entire bag of walnuts. Digital integrations on recipe search and e-commerce sites, including Ibotta and Instacart, are intended to drive purchases at the point of consideration, according to the release.
“California walnuts are synonymous with the holidays and family traditions. This holiday season offers a distinctive sales and merchandising opportunity for our retail partners to benefit from our investment in consumer marketing,” Robert Verloop, CEO and executive director for the California Walnut Commission and Board, said in the release. “Walnuts are an appealing and adaptable ingredient, and their versatility can make them the unsung hero of the kitchen all holiday season long. It’s the perfect opportunity to inspire new uses that can lead to incremental sales year-round.”
For the holiday campaign, California Walnuts is also partnering with food influencers to provide recipe inspiration directly to consumers. Monique Volz (@Ambitious Kitchen) will be a featured ambassador, demonstrating seasonal recipes featuring walnuts and creative ways to use the entire bag this holiday season. Isabel Orozco-Moore (@Isabel Eats) and Gal Shua-Haim MS, RD (@Something Nutritious) will showcase creative new holiday recipes crafted with walnuts on Instagram and TikTok, the release said.
The California Walnuts retail team says it sees strong demand for the current crop of walnuts. Traditionally, the fourth quarter drives the largest share of annual total walnut category dollar sales. According to Circana, 33% of annual walnut sales in 2022 were made in the fourth quarter.
Retailers nationwide are participating in promotion campaigns with California Walnuts during November and December, the release said. Retailers interested in California walnut promotion opportunities are encouraged to connect at walnuts.org/retail.
