12 Almond Facts
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2014
NondairyConsumers Prefer AlmondMilk
The journey of almond milk’s popularity is featured in a recent Boston Globe article, “For nondairy consumers, almond
milk outsells soy milk.” A brief history of nondairy options is told, starting with soy milk, a popular product for years until it
fell out of favor due to its lack of calcium and possible risk of breast cancer due to its high phytoestrogen content. Rice milk
is noted as the next consumer choice, but its lack of protein and nutrients, watery consistency and high sugar content limited
its popularity. Consumers have now enthusiastically turned to almond milk.
According to Nielsen, an American global information and measurement company,
sales of refrigerated almond milk today account for 4.1 percent of total milk
sales compared to less than .5 percent four years ago.
John O’Shaughnessy, the general manager of the consumer division at
Blue Diamond Growers
, was quoted in this article regarding the demand
for almonds. “It just continues to snowball,” O’Shaughnessy said.
“[Prices] have gone up by about a third since 2009, and there has
been no falloff in demand since these prices have been passed into the
marketplace.”
A couple of consumers were profled in the piece: one man blends
gallons of homemade almond milk a week for his bakeries; another
utilizes almonds to help fght an autoimmune condition.
The
Blue Diamond Original Almond Breeze
packaging served as the only
visual, and the
Blue Diamond
brand was the only brand quoted in this
news piece.
For more information about this article, visit www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/
food-dining/2014/08/05/for-nondairy-consumers-almond-milk-outsells-soy-
milk/xccrqgF5N5iHigYV3R6Z7H/story.htm.
Growers Fashion
Smokehouse
Piñata for
Family Party
Blue Diamond
members Merlyn and Betty Lou Garber
really know how to get a party started. The couple
had a
Blue Diamond Smokehouse
almond can made up for
their annual harvest barbecue. “Each year, one of our
employees makes a piñata to entertain the children at
the party,” said Merlyn. “This year we asked our two
younger grandsons, eight-year-old Luke and fve-year-
old Steven, what kind of piñata we should make. They
thought about it and decided one that looked like a
can of
Smokehouse Almonds
would be their choice!” Now
that’s team spirit!