Industry unveils marketing strategy:
Almonds - Health'e and Yum'e
Promoting the health benefits of eating almonds will be the key to a nation-wide marketing strategy by the Almond Board of Australia.
A Melbourne-based marketing expert has devised the comprehensive plan.
Former Coles Myer marketing executive Joseph Ebbage believes that almonds are perfectly placed to meet significant consumer demand for food that was both 'healthy and good tasting'.
Mr Ebbage, of consultancy firm Consumer Insights, has conducted a series of research projects into Australian attitudes and behaviours in relation to eating nuts in general and almonds in particular.
"We talked to consumers in-store, in focus groups and in surveys.
"We have also spoken to health professionals from GPs to nutritionists to gym trainers.
"One common theme we found was that the more a person knows about the health benefits of almonds the more likely that person is to eat them regularly and recommend others eat them."
Mr Ebbage said the big advantage almonds had in health food stakes was that people liked the taste. "It's a lot easier to get someone to eat something that is good for them if it tastes good."
He said this was best illustrated at the Royal Melbourne Show last year where the Almond Board of Australia set up a stall and provided free samples of raw almonds to more than 30,000 people.
"People were very apprehensive about trying them at first, but you could see the expressions on their face change after taking that first bite. They were pleasantly surprised.
"A lot then followed up by purchasing the packets we had for sale. It was a considerable investment at $8 or $9.
"There can be no better endorsement of a product than that. They tasted the free sample and liked it so much that they actually put their hand in their pocket and bought a packet."
Other insights from the research included that many consumers:
Didn't know almonds were grown in Australia ;
That you could eat almonds raw;
Were more inclined to buy almonds once they were educated on the health benefits.
It is those health benefits that Mr Ebbage wants to market.
Research has found that the Vitamin E contained in almonds is good for the heart. In time he said he would like to see the industry establish an on-going partnership with the National Heart Foundation to promote healthy hearts and almonds.
He produced artwork which promoted almonds as both yum'e and health'e.
He said some GPs surveyed were advising patients to cut out eating nuts in order to lose weight. Other considered eat nuts regularly as over-indulging.
Me Ebbage said it was important to educate doctors to the benefits of nuts. He proposed changing those attitudes with a slogan such as a "a healthy handful a day" could dispel misconceptions and reinforce the fact that people can lose weight and still eat nuts.
"Almonds are the right product, at the right time with the right taste and right benefit," he said.
Almondco Australia general manager Brenton Woolston, who is also a member of the ABA executive and has been working closely with Mr Ebbage, said that the challenge for the board would be implementing the exciting marketing plan.
"Joseph has done a fantastic job. We are a small industry and obtaining the relevant funding through establishing various partnerships is something we continue to work on," he said.
"It is an exciting time to be involved with the almond industry and the future of the almond industry for all stakeholders looks buoyant."
Mr Woolston said the sales growth in almonds illustrated the increasing awareness of almonds.
Almondco's 2003-2004 annual figures supported his claims. The nation's largest almond processor sold 86% of its 5300 tonnes on the domestic market.
