In spring 2021, Los Angeles-based Wonderful Pistachios will launch two additions to its Wonderful Pistachios No Shells product line – BBQ and Sea Salt & Vinegar.
BBQ Wonderful Pistachios No Shells have hickory-smoked flavor and are dashed with garlic, paprika and salt for a mix of sweet and smoky. Sea Salt & Vinegar Wonderful Pistachios No Shells are a balance of sour and savory.
The Honey Roasted and Chili Roasted No Shells flavors, which launched in July 2019, drove incremental sales and brought new buyers to the snack nuts category. As award winning products – from Amazon Hot Release to IRI Rising Star – No Shells flavors had one of the most successful launches of 2019. While big on flavor, they also deliver on the healthy attributes consumers like to add to their shopping baskets, as Honey Roasted received a Good Housekeeping Magazine “Healthy Snack Award” in 2020. The lineup contains six grams of plant protein per serving.
“Adding our new BBQ and Sea Salt & Vinegar flavors to our No Shells offerings presents a big opportunity for retailers, as these flavors will compete strongly in both the snack nuts and salty snacks categories,” said Adam Cooper, SVP of The Wonderful Co. “Both new flavors have high purchase intent and appeal, and we know they’ll perform on par or better than Honey Roasted and Chili Roasted, which are also remaining part of our portfolio.”
To bring home the concept of healthy snacking, Wonderful Pistachios will be rolling out a new plant protein icon onto its packaging beginning in spring 2021, debuting with the new flavors. This icon will be placed on the front of packaging and will communicate to shoppers they’re purchasing a plant protein snack. All Wonderful Pistachios offerings are also grown in California and are Non-GMO Project Verified.
Inspiration for the expansion of the flavor offerings includes research showing 55 percent of consumers say they would eat more nuts if they were flavored; a statistic which also led to the launch of the Honey and Chili Roasted flavors in 2019 and remains true today.
The snack will be available in both the United States and in Canada in all sizes from day one of launch, including 22-oz., 11-oz., 5.5-oz. and 2.25-oz. bags. In stores, the new flavors also will be available as part of a 72-count display set to roll out to retailers in March 2021.
Supported with a $1 million marketing investment, the campaign will drive awareness on social media and digital platforms, feature public relations activations and a dedicated FSI to drive trial.
