In celebration of National Walnut Day last week on May 17, California Walnuts announced the launch of a new integrated campaign across the US to increase relevance of walnuts in everyday moments. Running through summer, the “Just Add Walnuts” promotional push aims to drive new usage and increase purchases of California Walnuts by reinforcing their versatility, ease of use and the added nutrition, flavor and satisfying crunch. The campaign looks to inspire shoppers nationwide to add walnuts to their summer-eating adventures through retail promotions, consumer communications, advertising and more.

California Walnuts will reach shoppers through a 360-degree program that includes connected TV and streaming, digital advertising, social media, influencers, search, recipe and e-commerce sites, including Ibotta and Instacart, retail dietitian partnerships and in-store activations to build consumer awareness and drive traffic at the point of purchase. A new video will air online through August, giving a glimpse into how the beloved Nutcrackers are gearing up for summer adventures.  

“Playing off the 99 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day, we look to share 99 easy ways to just add walnuts every day this summer - from ice cream toppers, smoothies, parfaits, trail mix, avocado toast and much more,” says Robert Verloop, chief executive officer and executive director for the California Walnut Commission (CWC) and Board (CWB). “Just one bag of walnuts offers endless possibilities for quick, easy and satisfying summer recipes. Retail partners are encouraged to leverage our continued investment in consumer marketing to capitalize on summer sales and merchandising opportunities.”  

Additionally, summer-themed broadcast media segments led by food and nutrition experts will generate additional coverage and show consumers how to add fresh, craveable walnuts to their everyday meals this summer. New resources including recipe inspiration, tips for maintaining optimal freshness, and daily ideas for adding walnuts is available for retailers to share with shoppers in-store or online. All of this can be found at walnuts.org/just-add-walnuts. 

The exceptional quality of walnuts delivered from the 2023 harvest season has resulted in a strong demand for the current crop, according to the California Walnuts retail team. Retailers are encouraged to highlight walnuts’ versatility and ease of use this season to generate measurable retail sales.