The California Almond Board notes that the almond is a tough nut to beat. Driven by the demand for healthier meal options and attention-grabbing research that put almonds in the nutrition spotlight, almonds appeared in a record number of primary, secondary, private label and non-food products in 2004.

California Almond Board ingredient research indicates that almonds attract attention and generate sales.

In 2004, the number of new almond-enhanced snack products doubled from 2003, with 67 new snack products. To a more nutrition-conscious public, almonds’ healthy attributes resonated, with four out of every 10 new almond-enhanced products being marketed as “healthy,” and many major manufacturers introducing heart health claims on the packaging. According to the California Almond Board, 31% of the 400-million granola bars sold in the United States included almonds. That’s up from 8.5% in 1999.