STOCKTON, Calif., Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Emerald, the snack brand of Diamond Foods, Inc. , today announced the addition of three new bold-flavored oven roasted peanuts to its lineup, including Emerald(R) Wasabi Oven Roasted Peanuts, Emerald(R) Chipotle Oven Roasted Peanuts and Emerald(R) Barbeque Oven Roasted Peanuts. In addition to being a great source of natural energy and having the unique distinction of being "mess free" (no napkins needed), this is the first time these flavors of oven roasted peanuts have been distributed nationally.
As the popularity of complex flavored snacks continues to rise, Emerald has addressed this demand by developing three distinct new varieties, ensuring there is something for everyone. The Emerald Barbeque Oven Roasted Peanuts evoke the outdoors with a combination of sweet honey and smoky barbeque, the Emerald Chipotle Oven Roasted Peanuts feature the hot, spicy flavor of Mexican chipotle chiles, and the Emerald Wasabi Oven Roasted Peanuts offer a distinct Japanese-influenced wasabi flavor and heat.
The new line of complex flavors is centered on peanuts, which account for 30%* of the Snack Nut Dollar Sales making it the leading snack nut on the market. More importantly, peanuts are a nutritious snack, rich in protein, fiber, vitamin E, thiamin, niacin and a host of other nutrients. One of the distinct characteristics of this new line is that the flavor is baked into the nuts, so snackers don't end up with the seasonings sticking to their hands.
"Given the popularity and health benefits of peanuts combined with America's love of bold flavors, it was the right time to introduce Emerald's new product line," said Andrew Burke, vice president of marketing for Diamond Foods. "Also, since our seasoned nuts don't cause an oily mess, it makes them a more viable snack option to be enjoyed anytime and anywhere, including the workplace."
Emerald's snack line continues to cater to healthy, active lifestyles with its handy on-the-go cup holder-sized plastic canisters with lids that measure out 1.5 ounces of nuts, the daily portion recommended for heart health. The oven roasted peanuts are available in reclosable 1-lb. Value Packs (SRP: $3.49), the ergonomic 12-oz canisters (SRP: $3.29) and check-out counter friendly 2.5-oz. pouches (SRP: 69").
The Emerald snack line was introduced nationally in August 2004 with a wide variety of tasty trans fat-free offerings. In just over two years, the line has grown from 14 to 23 products, and has achieved distribution nationwide at more than 60,000 retail locations.
For more information about Emerald snack products and to obtain screenshots to accompany coverage of the new line, visit http://www.emeraldnuts.com/. The screenshots are accessible from the Press Center in the About Diamond section of the website.
About Diamond
Diamond is a leading branded food company specializing in processing, marketing and distributing culinary nuts and snack products under the Diamond, Emerald and Harmony brands. For more information, visit diamondfoods.com.
* Source is Information Resources, Inc., 52 Weeks Ending December 3, 2006.
