Roasting Chestnuts: The Sweet Smell of Good Nutrition Could Boost Sales

These once-common nuts could be poised for a comeback.

The days of Nat King Cole for the holidays are long gone, but we still have chestnuts and open fires on which to roast them.

Retailers hoping to lure consumers to try chestnuts should start by enticing their noses and figuring their stomachs and pocketbooks will follow.

“Just like if you smell bread or cookies baking, if you smell the chestnuts, the same thing happens,” says Mike Maxwell, president of Procacci Brothers Sales Corp., Philadelphia, PA.

Once new consumers are interested, they can be treated to a favorable story about the nutritional value of chestnuts.

“Chestnuts are dense with calories, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, and the leaves contain higher levels of essential plant nutrients than other local tree species,” according to the American Chestnut Foundation. “This made the chestnut beneficial not only for the humans of an ecosystem, but for every level of the food chain.”

Procacci Brothers has supplied tomatoes, tropical produce, flowers and specialty items, including Italian chestnuts, since 1948. In addition to supplying chestnuts, Procacci Brothers also has small portable ovens retailers can use to roast chestnuts in the store.

“You’ve got to cook these things at 400 degrees,” says Maxwell.

In much of Europe, chestnuts are a year-round snack, but in the U.S., they are sold during the cold season. “Here, it’s the holidays,” says Maxwell.

In addition to being seasonal in the U.S., chestnuts are also regional in appeal. “They are very popular in the Northern regions of the country,” Maxwell says, “but we sell them all over the country.”

“We get them for the holidays,” says Steve Mason, produce manager at Grove Market, Pacific Grove, CA. Pacific Grove is an upscale coastal community that borders Monterey, CA. Grove Market is an independent retailer serving this affluent community for decades.

DOMESTIC SUPPLY IS LIMITED

The domestic industry is dominated by small-scale producers with minor commercial involvement in the chestnut business, according to the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. Michigan, Florida, California, Oregon, and Virginia are the leading domestic producers, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center.

Independent retailers are still able to find domestic sources to fill their modest needs for chestnuts. “We get them from a local farmer,” says Hope Galvin, produce manager at the Co-op Market in Tallahassee, FL. “We usually have them by Thanksgiving.”

Larger retailers rely on imported chestnuts. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics, the U.S. imports 3,200 metric tons of chestnuts a year.

Procacci Brothers can supply retailers who need larger quantities of chestnuts from Europe. “We’ve been selling them for over 50 years and have built relations with growers in Italy,” says Maxwell.

PUSH A REVIVAL

Maxwell believes that cooking shows and interest in cooking at home could fuel a chestnut revival.

“In 2024/25, we’re focusing on expanding key product lines and introducing targeted digital ads to increase awareness,” says Yasmin Pacia, marketing director at A.J. Trucco Inc., a New York-based importer founded in 1937 and located on the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx since 1967.

Display and packaging can help move chestnuts both during the holidays and over the rest of the year.

“Sustainable packaging is in high demand,” says Pacia. “Consumers are looking for biodegradable or recyclable options. Clear packaging helps showcase freshness while maintaining an eco-friendly approach.”

Holiday-themed displays are most effective during the season, but convenience packaging helps attract year-round snack chestnut consumption.

“For ready-to-eat chestnuts, resealable bags have become popular for their convenience and ability to keep the product fresh longer,” says Pacia. “Creating themed setups around Thanksgiving and Christmas can boost chestnut sales, especially in colder months.”

“Simple, organized displays focusing on the product without too much clutter are trending,” Pacia adds. “This approach enhances the perception of quality. Pairing complementary items, like chestnuts with holiday ingredients, helps drive sales and simplifies customers’ shopping experience.”

Because they have far more moisture than other nuts, chestnuts are best displayed in refrigeration if space is available.

Whether in refrigeration or on the shelf, chestnuts do best when they are visible. “Easy access and keeping displays well-stocked encourage customers to notice the products,” says Pacia. “Using vibrant, eye-catching displays to highlight the freshness and quality of produce is a great idea.”

The season even impacts whether chestnuts do better peeled or unpeeled.

“Unpeeled, raw chestnuts are most popular during the holiday season when people prefer roasting at home,” says Pacia. “Peeled and roasted chestnuts are favored year-round for convenience and easy snacking and culinary uses.”

Inflation has had an impact on the retail price for chestnuts. “Supply remains steady, though there’s been a slight price increase due to rising costs in labor, transportation, and packaging materials,” says Pacia. “We’re monitoring prices closely to maintain competitiveness despite inflationary pressures.”

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Domestic Chestnut Supply is Limited

The American chestnut tree, Castanea dentata, once dominated portions of the eastern U.S. forests, according to the American Chestnut Foundation.

“Numbering nearly 4 billion, the tree was among the largest, tallest, and fastest growing in these forests. For thousands of years, the original inhabitants of the Appalachians coexisted with the American chestnut.”

Their numbers were diminished as the colonizers discovered uses for these magnificent trees.

“As European settlers arrived and displaced native peoples, they learned that chestnut wood was rot-resistant, straight-grained, and suitable for furniture, fencing and building materials. It was preferred for log cabin foundations, fence posts, flooring and caskets. Later, railroad ties and both telephone and telegraph poles were made from chestnut, many of which are still in use today.”

The death knell for these once widespread forests came in the 19th century, when imported pine trees brought the fungus that caused chestnut blight that wiped out U.S. chestnut stands.