Hazelnut Growers of Oregon is relaunching its Oregon Orchard brand with new packaging for its baking, snacking and chocolate-covered hazelnuts.
The rebrand will elevate consumer awareness of hazelnuts as a sustainable alternative to almonds and other popular nuts. The updated brand also introduces Hazel the Health Nut, a mascot that “embodies the philosophy of the ‘Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability’ customer,” according to the company.
“This campaign is colorful and fun, but it serves a serious purpose: to expand people’s perception of hazelnuts beyond their role as a flavor added to sweets or coffee. They’re a delicious, healthful snack on their own and a versatile ingredient in baking and cooking,” said Dan Herndon, VP of sales and marketing.
Consumers in Oregon and Washington will be among the first to see the rebranded products at the regional grocery chain, New Seasons Market.
To drive awareness, the company is supporting retailers with a co-branded social media push that connects shoppers to a store near them. Additionally, customers can purchase both packaged and bulk hazelnuts online at oregonorchard.com.
Founded in 1984, Hazelnut Growers of Oregon, a business unit of farmer-owned cooperative Wilco, has 180 growers who own more than 20,000 acres of hazelnut orchards. In 2016, it merged with Wilco and by 2018, completed its 120,000-square-foot process facility in Aurora, Oregon.
It processes a variety of hazelnut products, including in-shell, kernels, oils, butters and baking ingredients for food service supply companies, confectionaries, snack food makers and bakers around the globe. The new processing plant also has 30,000 square feet of storage space. According to the company, the Oregon hazelnut industry is expected to double in the next five years.
To learn more about the products, brand and Hazel the Health Nut, visit meet-hazel.com.
