nov-dec-2020

That is an important element in marketing. “Sustainability is becoming a bigger factor in food choices. In fact, a recent study found that nearly 50 percent of U.S. adults agree that environmental responsibility is an important factor in their food choices. This preference is even more important to the younger generations. They have an even stronger attraction to brands that promote their environmental responsibility. At Blue Diamond , we have been communicating our sustainability story, but we have to do even more.” Keith notes that package recycling is a big issue with consumers, and in response to that, Blue Diamond will begin promoting ‘How to Recycle’ on our Almond Breeze ® packages in January 2021. Consumers also ask about almond growing practices, such as bee health, water usage, and carbon footprint, issues that have been prominent in the news over the past years. He says the trend in environmental and sustainability concerns among consumers has been rising and expects it to continue to be at the forefront with consumers in the years ahead. “Having a thoughtful and specific message on that topic will be increasingly important over the coming years,” Keith said. “There is a strong business case for a well- developed sustainability program for a brand. It is a critical piece in building a brand. With it comes growth, a price premium and consumer brand loyalty. If you are going head-to-head with a brand that is as good as yours in every way, but you are able to better share the great things that you are doing to take care of the environment, consumers are going to choose your brand.” As a result, Blue Diamond is promoting its sustainability story to consumers — the great things that growers do to take care of their orchards, their almonds, their bees and the other facets of almond production. “But there is more we can do,” Keith said. “And the better off we will be if we do more and tell those stories to consumers so we can be more relevant to consumers, and they feel that they can trust that we are being the best stewards we can with what we are given. So, any effort we can make on sustainability will be a great advantage in the marketplace.” 2020 Sustainability Incentive Program Ben Goudie, Membership Development Manager at Blue Diamond , highlighted an emerging trend of major brands purchasing ingredients exclusively from suppliers with robust sustainability programs. The producer of KIND snack bars, for example, announced that it is committing to sourcing almonds from bee-friendly farms exclusively by 2025. Blue Diamond has been developing a sustainability program over the past several years, Goudie said. The program Mission Statement reads, “The Blue Diamond Sustainability Program enables us to create positive stories backed by credible information to communicate to customers and consumers how our almonds are produced in our fields and our facilities.” What the program does,” said Goudie, “is create transparency, trust and confidence for the brand among customers and consumers. This translates to market access and strong brand identity.” ANNUAL GROWERS MEETING 3 2 A L M O N D F A C T S