Whether it’s used as a flavorful filling for chocolate or as a rich base for dressings or sauces, almond butter use continues to grow in product innovation. Almond butter is a popular ingredient in the spreads and cereals categories, but its use has grown in the soft drinks (+26%), dairy (+25%), and confectionery (+7%) categories between 2019-2025 due to the versatility and nutrition benefits it brings for new product developers.

To help manufacturers innovate, the Almond Board of California developed a new industry resource that details technical properties, innovation opportunities, shelf life and storage guidance, and the nutritional benefits of almond butter.  

Innova Market Insights’ 2024 North American Health Trends Report states that health and nutrition is the #2 most important factor for consumers in U.S. and Canada when considering food and beverage (48%). According to Innova, consumers are looking for a health twist that reduces non-healthy ingredients (37%) and uses natural ingredients/less artificial ingredients (31%) without compromising rich flavor/taste (41%), crispy/crunch texture (34%), or creamy texture (31%). Using almond butter can provide consumers with healthier options that don’t compromise crunchy or creamy textures.  

According to Innova, plant-based claims appeared on 30% of new products with almond butter by October 2024. Using almond butter can bring additional positive associations as consumers associate “plant-based” with other features like “healthy” and “natural.”   

Related: Almond Board issues call for candidates