California Walnuts pumps up retail opportunities for American Heart Month
California Walnuts is kicking off a nationwide communications effort to help draw awareness to cardiovascular disease during American Heart Month. An integrated approach that spans retail registered dietitian partnerships, digital ads, consumer communications, health professional outreach and influencer partnerships, among other tactics, will be featured to encourage consumers to choose walnuts throughout February and beyond.
Walnuts are certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check food certification program. Since 1993, published research has been exploring how eating walnuts affects various factors related to heart health such as cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation and blood vessel function.
“California walnuts are a delicious addition to any meal — the perfect nutrient-dense food to promote in February during American Heart Month,” said Robert Verloop, CEO and executive director for the California Walnut Commission and Board. “American Heart Month offers a promotional moment that drives walnut sales. In fact, 81 percent of consumers say the health benefits of walnuts positively impact their purchasing decisions.“
Consumer directed communications will highlight the many ways to incorporate walnuts into heart-healthy dishes, featuring nationally recognized registered dietitian Samantha Cassetty. A partnership with the Coborn’s Inc. dietitian team will engage shoppers both in-store and online to inspire walnut purchases and drive sales, and additional content will be distributed to provide health professionals with evidence supporting the cardiovascular benefits of walnuts.
Retailers are encouraged to highlight walnuts' heart-healthy benefits to their shoppers through in-store displays, digital media and feature ads, with more than 5,800 stores already signed on to participate. California Walnuts has also provided retail dietitians with resources and samples to support Heart Month activities.
For proven best practices to activate sales with walnuts and for a wide range of marketing resources, visit https://walnuts.org/retail/retail-resources/.
