There are two things that sell a product and they are quality and price. In the case of nuts, that has never been truer. The global nuts market size was valued at USD 55.90 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2023 to 2030. At the same time, the competition to supply this market is becoming stronger. So although the potential is growing, only the fittest will survive.
Keeping the Nuts Fresh
In theory, fresh nuts can remain fresh in a cooled environment for between one to two years but once they are processed, this time reduces significantly. This is a significant fact as nuts are generally only harvested once a year. This means that the factory will only be busy with fresh nuts for a short period of the year unless they source them from somewhere else or have a good storage facility so that they can process them over a longer period of time.
The key to supplying fresh nuts is to pick, process and package them as fast as possible. Companies that pick locally to where they are processed and can package them on site will be able to lock in the freshness earlier. This in turn will mean that they can be shipped all round the world and can be sold at their peak with a long shelf life.
Consumers are becoming more health conscious and expect their nuts to be natural and completely free of any kind of preservatives. This makes keeping them fresh more of a challenge.
Consumers also need to be educated in how to keep their nuts fresh once they have opened their sealed packages. The best way to keep them fresh is by putting them in an airtight container and storing them in the fridge.
Price Point
With the amount of competition there is, it is important to be able to offer the distributor a price that reflects the quality of the product whilst at the same point remaining competitive. The market is split into five main sections:
- Corporate – They often require their own branding on the packages.
- General Consumption – Supermarkets and bars.
- Health Shops – Generally looking for the most natural and a higher quality nut.
- Luxury – Looking for the highest quality and innovative flavors.
- Food Manufacturers – They want to buy in their natural state in bulk.
It is important when marketing to these areas to consider the realistic price point so that both sides can make the right amount of profit either by selling for a higher price or selling in bulk.
Companies such as Hamama Nuts The longer that you can keep the product fresher, the greater quantity the distributor will buy in one go as they will not worry nearly as much that the nuts will stay on the shelf and expire before being bought.
The Future Looks Fresher!
With better refrigeration options, faster harvesting, rapid transport and better packaging methods, the ability to supply the market with top quality, fresh nuts is looking better than it ever has, at a time that the market is expanding rapidly.