Share the Holiday Spirit with Dried Fruits and Nuts

Merchandising fall and winter events propels sales of baking, snacking and gifting items.

Suppliers create flavorful arrays of scrumptious, yet nourishing, dried fruits and nuts year-round, but year-end holidays draw special assortments to proclaim the season’s festivities.

At Torn & Glasser, Los Angeles, CA, more than a dozen nut types accompany their fruits, dates, glacé line, and their original California Jumbo Compote. Custom trail and snack mixes, such as espresso and Santa Fe Hot, augment their 19 seasoned varieties. The extensive snack item choices await customers’ own inventive blends.

The market outlook for the season rings positive. Torn & Glasser Sales Manager Chris Large reports in the last few years, “the market for nuts is strong, and the dried fruits market is very robust.”

Christine Lott, director of integrated communications, with the California Walnut Board, Folsom, CA, shares his prediction. “We feel optimistic about the upcoming crop year. It will deliver the high quality that defines California walnuts.”

SNACKS EXCITE THE SENSES

Walnut snacking has grown to become the No. 1 use for California walnuts, Lott says. “Produce category managers can capitalize on this trend by displaying walnuts alongside fresh and dried berries and seeds, providing easy suggestions for making a DIY trail mix with walnuts.”

Dates are perfect for unique flavor combinations, says Bridgette Weber, sales and marketing manager, Bard Valley Natural Delights, Yuma, AZ. “One of our favorite examples is our medjool date strips with Tajín. We call it ‘SWICY’ — a blend of sweet and spicy that customers love. It’s the perfect mix of indulgence and health. The natural sweetness of dates paired with the tangy, slightly spicy kick of Tajín.”

Tess Mercado, owner of Nutridge Farms, LLC, Palm Desert, CA, creates her specialties with no sugar, eggs or animal products. All are vegan and contain only natural seasonings and no preservatives. “People don’t mind paying the price for a healthy snack.”

She acknowledges the dates she uses for sweetening and the pecans and cashews for her products are not cheap, but, she says, “People care what they put in their bodies.”

C.J. Dannemiller Co., Norton, OH, wholesale supplier of nuts and fruits, offers 17 kinds of mixed nuts and 14 different dried fruits. “There’s a push in snacking for better health, using less sugar especially,” says President John Dannemiller. “Dried fruits are perfect for snacking.”

For the holiday season, he recommends cherries, blueberries, cranberries and strawberries for their color. “Our biggest sales are for plump, juicy raisins. Cranberries are also popular, plus mango slices, pineapple tidbits and banana chips.”

HOLIDAY BAKING AND ENTERTAINING

Whether for a traditional homestyle holiday dinner with family, a gourmet affair for newcomers, or an everyday meal for this busy season, dried fruit and nuts stand ready to enrich menus.

Lott says the California Walnut Board is launching an advertising campaign to showcase holiday gatherings and entertaining, with tips on walnut use beyond the traditional. “Focusing on Millennials and older Gen Z, we will be highlighting ways that walnuts can elevate with ease charcuterie boards, appetizers, treats and more.”

She reports nearly 34% of walnut volume sales occurred during the fourth quarter of 2023, “thanks in part to the holiday season, which brings a spike in cooking and baking with walnuts.”

Bard Valley Natural Delights partners with California Walnuts and retailers for promotions, and works with registered dietitians to inspire consumers with recipe ideas and education on health benefits. Their media posts and blog content explain how to use dates as a sweetener, and that the fiber in dates helps prevent the sugar crash of processed sweets.

For shoppers looking for a bolder flavor, Jacob Basecke, executive vice president, Hammons Black Walnuts, Stockton, MO, encourages retailers to stock black walnuts. “Black walnuts have a much stronger, bolder taste compared to the milder flavor of English walnuts.”

He notes that distinctive taste draws adventurous eaters and chefs looking for something different. His company’s wild-foraged and locally sourced aspects resonate, and their premium product attracts a culinary crowd willing to pay more for something unique.

And don’t overlook pistachios. “Pistachios are known for their protein, fiber and unsaturated fats, providing a more nutritious option during the indulgent holiday season,” points out Diana Salsa, vice president of marketing, Wonderful Pistachios, Los Angeles, CA.

Salsa says the new Wonderful Pistachios No Shells can be used for toppings or mixing in hot meals and comfort foods. “No Shells Chili Roasted is our top seller, and ideal for a bit of heat that can cut through creamy, rich dishes. No Shells Smoky Barbeque pistachios can add a smoky, tangy flavor that complements warm comfort foods. No Shells Jalapeño Lime provides a zesty kick with a balance of spice and acidity.”

TREATS FOR GIVING

Basecke suggests retailers serve up gift ideas for shoppers. “For giving, lean toward something personal and creative. A prized family recipe may be a black walnut chocolate cake or black walnut fudge.”

He adds that including instructions for the recipient to customize their own recipe adds a special touch.
Salsa recommends pistachios to enhance cookie flavor for holiday gift giving. “No Shells Sweet Cinnamon pistachios can elevate a holiday cookie by adding a unique blend of sweet, spiced flavor and crunchy texture. The cinnamon seasoning blends beautifully with the cookie’s sweetness, making it a comforting, yet exciting, choice.”

Dates shine during the holiday season because they’re versatile, Weber says. “They work as a healthy snack, a delicious ingredient in festive recipes, or even as a premium gift. Merchandising dates for the holidays is all about making them visible and showcasing their many uses.”

PROMOTE FOR SALES

Nutridge Farms’ Mercado advises merchandising prominently to boost fourth quarter sales. “In the produce department, use the endcaps to display. Shelves also sell, but the product is more attractive as an endcap, and can be arranged to be colorful.”

The visual appeal is important, but she emphasizes, “The taste has to validate the attractive package.”

“During the holiday season, demonstrate and give samples,” she adds. “People love demos before Christmas. Add ribbons to gift containers. Open products so the spicy aroma permeates, and let people get a whiff of the product.”

Lott recommends greater cross-merchandising. “There’s great value for grocers in cross-promoting walnuts both in baking, as well as the produce aisle alongside holiday ingredients, such as sweet potatoes or green beans, and fresh fruit pairings, like cranberries, apples or pears. Bundled offers and recipe suggestions help sell both items, giving retailers a higher basket ring in produce.”

Salsa agrees. “For major holidays and events, positioning product next to staple ingredients in the produce section is incredibly beneficial. People may not think of adding chopped pistachios to their favorite sautéed or roasted vegetables, but when they see two of their favorite products next to each other in the produce section, there are inevitably ‘aha!’ moments that click.”

START EARLY

Assa Ting, produce manager at the Kansas City, MO, Price Chopper store, reports their fall/winter promotions begin in October. That banner is part of 26 Balls Food Stores, based in Kansas City, KS. “We stock a lot of different nuts, and display them throughout the store sometimes. The ads change every week. We usually carry chopped walnuts, pecans and Spanish peanuts.”

Ting explains that snacks, including pistachios, are displayed in produce as well. The store maintains reference materials for its associates’ training and responses to customers.

Food City, with headquarters in Abingdon, VA, has over 150 stores in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, and also prepares early. “I get ready for holidays early. I have Christmas candy in my backroom now,” Assistant Manager Jeff Buchanan of the Bristol, VA, store, reports in mid-October.

A current ad features buy-one-get-one-free pecans and walnut halves. “We do that sale once or maybe twice a year,” Buchanan says. “We have a large variety of snack nuts, but pecan halves are the fastest seller.”