Health benefits of pistachios help to drive sales for Setton Farms
Health benefits of pistachios help to drive sales for Setton Farms
According to Joseph Setton of Terra Bella, CA-based Setton Farms, pistachio sales this past crop year were very strong and shipments were up over 25 percent.
“Retail sales specifically have been strong,” he said. “According to IRI, in the fourth quarter of 2011, pistachio sales exceeded almonds at retail.”
Although it is still too early to comment on this year’s crop (as the harvest season begins in September and ends in early October), Mr. Setton said that the healthfulness of pistachios will help to drive sales.
“The healthy initiatives have been very effective and Setton Farms’ dry roasted with sea salt in-shell pistachios are now certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Mark Food Certification Program,” he said.
The “Heart-Check Mark” helps consumers live a healthier lifestyle by allowing them to easily identify heart-healthy foods.
“The AHA check mark is the most trusted and most recognized health symbol among food icons tested,” Mr. Setton added. “This brand awareness translates to increased sales and in-store sales data revealed that the ‘Heart-Check’ mark boosts incremental sales.”
In addition to its already “heart-healthy” line of pistachios, Setton Farms has recently created and launched a one-hundred percent all natural line of Pistachio Chewy Bites to “capture the consumer who is looking for wholesome convenient snacks that taste great,” Mr. Setton said.
“The Pistachio Chewy Bites bring them all the nutritional benefits that pistachios provide with moist antioxidant cranberries and agave nectar,” he commented. “They are a good source of dietary fiber and are certified gluten & dairy free. Each bite is individually wrapped, keeping them fresh and making them a convenient, on-the-go snack.”
This increased awareness of health benefits has helped pistachios transition from being viewed as just a “holiday nut” by consumers, to being incorporated into their daily lifestyles.
“Now, you will find in-shell pistachios used as an everyday pick-me-up snack, and shelled pistachios featured in many salads, main courses, desserts and other standard food applications,” Mr. Setton said.
Setton Farms is the first nut producer in North America to meet the rigorous requirements of the Food Safety System Certification 22000:2011 standard, and is also fully recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative.
“This distinction means the company’s manufacturing facility, operations, food-safety and quality management systems meet the most complete safety certifications for food manufacturers in the world,” he concluded.
