Gitnux/Report 2026

Almond Industry Statistics

Almond economics and risk management collide in one page with 2023 US almond exports topping $5.0 billion and California processing capacity at about 5 billion pounds per year while pricing, water use, and emissions sit under tight regulatory checks. You will also see how health evidence and industry standards line up, from cold pressed oil yields and allergen labeling to FDA and EU controls on aflatoxin and pesticide residues, where even tiny shipment exceedances can matter.
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November 10, 2026Updated
Almond Industry Statistics
Catherine WuWritten by Catherine Wu·Edited by Thomas Lindqvist·Fact-checked by Claire Beaumont
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The almond industry at a glance

The almond industry remains export-led and concentrated in California, where the 2025 crop was worth $6.87 billion and production reached 2.715 billion shelled pounds.

$6.87B[53]
California crop value, 2025
2.715B lb[51]
U.S. production, 2025
77%[54]
Export shipment share, 2025/26
5.4%[55]
U.S. market CAGR, 2025–2031
Market size
California’s 2025 almond crop had a reported value of $6.874 billion, based on 2.715 billion pounds of utilized shelled production. The United States accounted for essentially all reported U.S. almond production because California is the dominant producing state.[53][51]
Forecast & CAGR
Ken Research projects the U.S. almond market to increase from $2.440 billion in 2025 to $3.345 billion by 2031, implying a 5.4% CAGR. USDA’s May 2026 forecast put 2026 U.S. shelled production at 2.700 billion pounds, slightly below 2025.[55][5]
Market share & regions
California remains the principal global production hub, with approximately 80% of world almond production according to a 2026 company statement cited by Mars. In California’s 2024/25 crop year, the United States represented 25% of shipments, while India was the largest export destination with more than 423 million pounds.[56][5]
Segmentation
California handler shipments are divided into shelled, manufactured, products and inshell categories. In the August 1, 2025–January 31, 2026 period, export shipments included 703.8 million pounds of shelled almonds, 68.5 million pounds of manufactured products, 0.95 million pounds of products and 209.8 million pounds of inshell almonds.[54]
Key players & concentration
The supply chain is highly concentrated geographically: USDA reported 1.40 million bearing acres and 2.715 billion pounds of 2025 production in California, with no other U.S. state contributing material production in the national table. Major commercial participants include grower-owned processor-marketers such as Blue Diamond Growers and large handlers represented in Almond Board shipment reports, although a reliable current company market-share ranking was not identified.[53][51][54]
Pricing
The USDA reported an average 2025 California almond price of $2.60 per pound and crop value of $6.874 billion. A University of California Davis cost study cited in 2026 reporting estimated a break-even price of approximately $2.25 per pound at a 1,940-pound-per-acre yield.[53][57]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is supported by plant-based dairy alternatives, snack products, functional foods and almond ingredients. Key challenges include water availability, weather, pollination costs, elevated inventories and trade exposure; the 2025 California crop value rose 11% year over year even as yield declined to 1,940 pounds per acre.[58][51][5]
Consumer behavior & competition
In the United States and Europe, about 50% of almond volume goes into ingredients used in manufactured products, according to the Almond Board of California. Competition is therefore spread across snack brands, plant-based beverages, bakery ingredients and nut-butter products, with processors increasingly developing branded and value-added formats.[5][59]
M&A
Recent activity includes Puratos’ January 2026 acquisition of U.S. nut-ingredients maker Vor Foods, whose portfolio includes almond products. Once Again Nut Butter also acquired Big Tree Organic Farms and its almond manufacturing facility, expanding into organic diced, sliced, slivered almonds and almond flour.[60][59]
Regulation
Almond pasteurization is required by law in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Approved treatment approaches described by the Almond Board include blanching, oil roasting, steaming and propylene oxide treatment, while processors must comply with food-safety validation and handling requirements.[5]
Latest news
The 2025/26 California crop year closed with 203.6 million pounds of U.S. shipments and 2.034 billion pounds of export shipments, with exports representing 77% of total shipments and rising 3.0% year over year. USDA’s May 2026 forecast projected 2.700 billion pounds of U.S. shelled production for 2026.[61][5]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Almond Industry

The leading companies in the almond industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

The Wonderful Company leads Gitnux's 2026 almond ranking with an Overall score of 9.6, with ownership of the widely distributed Wonderful Pistachios almond and pistachio snack business. Select Harvests is the highest-ranked grower-owned processor-marketer at 9.4, with revenue growth 35.4% and operating margin 13.7% signaled by company metrics.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in almond snacks

    The Wonderful Company

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.6 · Almond snacks

    Why we picked it: It combines vertically integrated almond growing with a branded snack portfolio tied to Wonderful Pistachios.

    See in ranking ↓Visit wonderful.com ↗

  2. Leader in integrated almond processing

    Select Harvests

    AU

    Ranked #2 · 9.4 · Integrated almond processing

    Why we picked it: It participates across Australian almond growing, processing, and marketing, with 35.4% revenue growth and 13.7% operating margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit selectharvests.com.au ↗

  3. Leader in global almond ingredients

    ofi

    GB

    Ranked #3 · 9.1 · Global almond ingredients

    Why we picked it: It spans growing and processing footprints across the USA, Australia, and Vietnam for global almond ingredients.

    See in ranking ↓Visit ofi.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the almond industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

The Wonderful Company

Almond snacks · US

9.6
2

Select Harvests

Integrated almond processing · AU

9.4
3

ofi

Global almond ingredients · GB

9.1
4

Almondco Australia

Cooperative almond marketing · AU

8.8
5

Mariani Nut Company

Specialty almond products · US

8.6
6

Treehouse California Almonds

California almond ingredients and wholesale products · US

8.5
7

Hilltop Ranch

California almond growing, handling and processing · US

8.4
8

Stewart & Jasper Orchards

Vertically integrated California almond growing and processing · US

8.2
9

Grizzly Nut

California almond handling, processing and marketing · US

7.8
10

Waterford Nut Company

California almond growing, processing and value-added products · US

7.7

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the almond industry. In Almond Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/almond-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

California almond bearing acreage

California almond bearing acreage grew from 1.3M acres in 2020 to 1.4M acres in 2024.

1.3M acres
Start
+2.5%
CAGR · 4y
1.4M acres
Projected
20202024
source-verifiednass.usda.gov2024

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Adoption signals differ across farms and food manufacturing, with 61% of U.S. farmers reporting digital agronomy tech in 2024.

Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[1]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[1]
  • In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[2]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[1]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[1]

Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[3]
  • Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[3]
  • In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[3]
  • Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[3]
  • In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[3]
  • In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[3]

Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[1]
  • Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[4]
  • Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[4]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[1]

Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[1]
  • In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[3]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[1]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[1]

IoT in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 10% used Internet of Things technologies in 2023.[1]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 24% used Internet of Things technologies in 2024, up from 10% in 2023.[1]
  • Among agri-food companies investing more than 30% of annual turnover in digital technologies, 5.41% prioritised Internet of Things technologies in 2024.[1]
  • Across EU farms with livestock, about 11% used animal-welfare or health-monitoring systems in 2023.[3]

Innovation in the almond industry

  • 90% higher return on investment was reported for one California almond industry marketing campaign discussed at the 2025 Almond Conference.[5]
  • 46% of California’s productive almond acreage had been assessed through the California Almond Stewardship Platform by November 2023.[5]
  • 80% of global almond production came from California, according to the Almond Board’s U.S. market overview.[5]
  • More than 700 independent research projects have been supported for the California almond industry since 1973.[5]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data governance and validation remain gating issues: 41% of manufacturers distrusted supply-chain data in 2025, and 44% reported AI project failures due to poor data quality.

Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[6]
  • 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[7]
  • 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[7]
  • 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[6]
  • 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[7]

Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[8]
  • 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[7]
  • 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[8]
  • 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[8]
  • 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[7]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[9]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Product expansion stays measurable through introductions and claims; prebiotic-fiber claims rose 126% year over year on new almond-containing products in 2025.

Growth in the almond industry

  • 17% was the growth rate of global almond-containing desserts and ice-cream introductions in 2019.[5]
  • 26% was the growth rate of global almond-containing spreads introductions in 2019.[5]
  • 13% was the growth rate of global almond product introductions in 2019, when 12,206 new products were launched.[5]
  • 24% was the compound annual growth rate of cereal products containing whole almonds between 2017 and 2021.[5]
  • 12,206 new products containing almonds were introduced globally in 2019.[5]
  • 15% was the compound annual growth rate of products using almond milk between 2017 and 2021.[5]

Differentiation in the almond industry

  • 40% of almond-based product launches featured clean-label positioning in the latest Almond Board data.[5]
  • 41% of new almond products featured minimal-processing claims in the latest Almond Board data.[5]
  • 35% of global new product introductions featuring almond milk came from North America between 2017 and 2021.[5]
  • 9% was the compound annual growth rate of desserts and ice-cream subcategories using almond pieces between 2017 and 2021.[5]
  • 126% was the year-over-year increase in prebiotic-fiber claims on new almond-containing products in 2025.[5]
  • 19% of new almond-containing products launched in 2025 made digestive or gut-health claims.[5]

Strategic partnerships in the almond industry

  • 1 partnership between Blue Diamond Growers and Divert was announced in 2024 to convert almond-processing byproducts into renewable energy.[10]
  • 1 partnership between Oppy and Blue Diamond Growers introduced fresh almond and almond-fruit blends to retail produce departments.[11]
  • 1 partnership between Artefact and the Almond Board of California launched almond-shell composite materials in 2026.[5]
  • 1 collaboration between Australian Almonds and Poh Ling Yeow was announced in 2024 for recipe promotion, events and digital content.[12]
  • 1 climate-smart market-development partnership between Blue Diamond Growers and USDA was designed to incentivize almond growers’ regenerative practices.[13]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce capacity is tracked through remote-work and engagement benchmarks, with 104,000 almond-industry jobs cited in the Almond Board overview.

Hiring in the almond industry

  • More than 91% of California almond farms were family farms, according to the Almond Board’s U.S. market overview.[5]
  • Approximately 7,600 growers and 100 handlers made up the California almond industry, according to the Almond Board’s U.S. market overview.[5]
  • 110,000 California jobs were supported by the almond industry in the 2017–2018 economic-impact study, including 102,500 in the Central Valley.[5]
  • 104,000 jobs were generated by the California almond industry, according to the Almond Board’s U.S. market overview.[5]

Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[14]
  • Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[15]
  • Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[14]
  • Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[16]

Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed in 2024, 36% reported having no work-at-home days per week.[17]
  • 84% of Australian agribusiness organisations planned no change to existing flexible or hybrid work arrangements in 2026.[18]
  • Across employers discussed in a food-industry hybrid-work survey, about 90% had adopted some form of hybrid work, although the figure was not limited to agriculture and food production.[17]
  • 21% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals reported working fully remotely in 2024.[19]
  • 35% of U.S. agriculture and food employers offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024.[15]

Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[20]
  • At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[21]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[21]
  • Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[21]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[21]

Change Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 37% reported expansions, renovations or added capacity as structural changes.[22]
  • Among consumer packaged goods executives surveyed, 54% said resources dedicated to change programs had increased during the previous 12 months.[23]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 31% reported changing elements of their supply chain as a structural change.[22]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 53% reported conducting safety-related training as a structural change.[22]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 40% reported changing a process as a structural change.[22]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Demand signals show campaign-driven lift, including a 42% increase in new almond buyers from a Kroger promotion tied to Own Your Prime in 2024.

Customer experience in the almond industry

  • More than 3 minutes was the average time U.S. visitors spent on an Almond Board webpage featuring soccer player Julie Ertz in 2019, over twice the average for other Almonds.com pages.[5]
  • 80% of consumers said almonds improved their smoothies during a 10-week Smoothie King promotion in the United States in 2025.[5]

Customer acquisition in the almond industry

  • 42% of purchasers were new to almonds in three pilot markets during the 2023 Own Your Prime in-store campaign in California, Colorado, Ohio and Michigan.[5]
  • 693 people applied to participate in Japan’s Office Almond social campaign, which selected 40 individuals and companies in 2017.[5]
  • 42% was the increase in new almond buyers generated by a Kroger promotion linked to the Own Your Prime campaign in the United States in 2024.[5]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Brand activity is quantified via promotional and earned-media outcomes, including expected 555 million impressions from Blue Diamond’s February–August 2026 ad program.

Marketing in the almond industry

  • 70% was the increase in almond sales during a 10-week Smoothie King promotion in 2025, with higher sales continuing after the promotion.[5]
  • 9% was the post-campaign sales uplift across almond products after the Greater Good campaign in 2021.[24]
  • 6 times more earned-media placements were generated by the third year of the Coach Prime campaign than by previous California almond campaigns in 2025.[5]
  • 4 times more top-tier media coverage was generated by the Coach Prime campaign in 2025 than by previous California almond campaigns.[5]
  • 10 times more media attention than any previous Almond Board spokesperson was generated by the first year of the Own Your Prime campaign in 2024.[5]

Digital marketing in the almond industry

  • 70 million social-media impressions were delivered by an Almond Board wellness campaign in the United States and Mexico in fall 2020.[5]
  • 120 million impressions were delivered by the Greater Good campaign across earned, digital and influencer activations in 2021.[24]
  • 4.7 million viewers watched the Tmall campaign livestream associated with California almonds’ +Almonds, +Radiance activation in China.[25]
  • 256 million or more television and streaming impressions were delivered by an Almond Board wellness campaign in the United States and Mexico in fall 2020.[5]
  • 555 million impressions were expected from Blue Diamond Almondmilk’s February–August 2026 advertising program, driven largely by Instagram and TikTok influencer content.[26]

Branding in the almond industry

  • 95% of the Almond Board’s primary North American target audience agreed that products containing almonds are heart healthy in a 2010 consumer study.[5]
  • 96% of the Almond Board’s primary North American target audience agreed that products containing almonds are more nutritious in a 2010 consumer study.[5]
  • 59% was the increase in ad awareness for Diamond of California after its first integrated campaign.[27]
  • 49% was the increase in unaided brand awareness for Diamond of California after its first integrated campaign, which delivered 87 million impressions.[27]
  • 23% was the increase in purchase intent for Diamond of California after its first integrated campaign.[27]

Social media in the almond industry

  • 378,000 tweets about California almonds were posted between June 7 and July 9, 2019, a 32% increase over the prior measurement period.[5]
  • 2 million impressions and 2,772 hashtag uses were generated by Japan’s Office Almond social campaign in 2017.[5]
  • 638 million impressions were generated on RED by California almonds’ 21 Days of Antioxidant Diary campaign in China in 2023.[28]
  • 2,779,236 consumers were reached through social media by the Road to Rio campaign in 2016.[5]
  • 300 million or more social-media impressions were guaranteed for Blue Diamond Almondmilk’s 2026 campaign across Meta, TikTok and Reddit.[26]

Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food and drink influencer content generated 392 billion impressions globally in 2023.[29]
  • Food and drink influencer content produced an estimated $122 billion in earned media value globally in 2023.[29]
  • Food and drink influencer posts achieved a 1.19% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[29]
  • Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[29]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 42.7 billion engagements globally in 2023.[29]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational throughput is tracked via shipment composition and inventory, with exports representing 77% of total shipments in 2025/26 and U.S. shipments at 203.6 million pounds.

Process optimization in the almond industry

  • 74% of reported California almond shipments were exports during August–December 2024.[5]
  • 1.751 billion pounds of shells were estimated from California’s 2024/25 almond crop, based on a 65% average crack-out rate.[28]
  • 31% of California almond tree fruit was kernels in the 2024/25 crop year, with hulls at 49% and shells at 20%, supporting coproduct recovery and zero-waste processing.[28]
  • 2.744 billion pounds was the forecast marketable new crop after the 2% loss-and-exempt deduction for the 2024/25 crop year.[5]
  • 10.79 million pounds of exempt or inedible almonds were shipped during August–December 2024.[5]

Operational efficiency in the almond industry

  • 3 California growing regions were covered by the UC Agricultural Issues Center’s almond establishment and production cost studies.[30]
  • 95% of the prior crop’s volume was represented by handlers reporting commitments in the December 2024 position report.[5]
  • 15.61% was the increase in crop receipts through December 2024 compared with the same period of the prior crop year.[5]
  • 2,800.0 million pounds was the forecast California almond crop for 2024/25 in the December 2024 position report.[5]
  • 7% was the increase in California almond acreage between 2016 and 2017, increasing the share of young orchards sensitive to water limitations.[30]

Quality management in the almond industry

  • 3.44% was the reject rate for Fritz almonds received from August 2024 through May 2025.[5]
  • 3.05% was the reject rate for Independence almonds received from August 2024 through May 2025.[5]
  • 2.13% was the reject rate for Butte almonds received from August 2024 through May 2025.[5]
  • 100% of almonds sold to consumers in North America are pasteurized under the industry’s pasteurization program.[5]
  • 3.65% was the reject rate for Aldrich almonds received from August 2024 through May 2025.[5]

Supply chain in the almond industry

  • 295.92 million pounds were shipped domestically by California almond handlers during August–December 2024.[5]
  • 2.01 billion pounds of almonds were exported by the United States on a shelled basis during the 2024/25 marketing year.[31]
  • 341.13 million pounds of California almonds were committed for export but had not yet been delivered by December 31, 2024.[5]
  • 1.882 billion pounds was computed inventory for California almonds at December 31, 2024.[5]
  • 484 million pounds was the reported California almond carryout for the 2024/25 marketing year.[31]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 66% of Queensland food-processing businesses engaged in contract manufacturing to some extent in 2010, including contracting work in or out.[32]
  • 2% of Canadian food and beverage companies outsourced production entirely to third-party manufacturers in 2020.[33]
  • About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[34]
  • 49% of U.S. growers surveyed outsourced at least some farm work to third-party service providers in 2022, with spraying services the most commonly outsourced activity.[35]
  • 19% of surveyed Queensland food-processing businesses contracted work out in 2010, while 28% contracted work in and 15% did both.[32]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing sensitivity remains central: USDA reported an average 2025 California price of $2.60 per pound tied to a $6.874 billion crop value.

Pricing strategy in the almond industry

  • 39% was the increase in the shelled almond export unit value from August 2024 to May 2025.[31]
  • $2.97 per pound was the average export unit value for shelled almonds in May 2025.[31]
  • $1.60 per pound was the almond-meat price assumed in the 2024 California cost studies.[5]
  • $2.14 per pound was the average annual shelled almond price in 2024.[31]
  • $2.30 per pound was the approximate average grower return for all almond varieties in California’s 2024 crop.[5]

Cost reduction in the almond industry

  • $8,004 per acre was the average total cost of producing almonds in the 2024 California cost-of-production studies.[36]
  • $1.90 per pound and 2,000 pounds per acre were the price and yield assumptions identified as a historical almond break-even combination in a UC analysis.[30]
  • 69% was the increase in northern Central Valley almond operating costs from the 2016 UC Davis estimate to the 2024 estimate.[37]
  • 57% to 60% was the increase in California almond cash and non-cash overhead costs between 2019 and 2024.[5]
  • $3,807 per acre was the 2024 estimated total operating cost for almonds in the northern Central Valley, compared with $2,251 in 2016.[37]

Profitability in the almond industry

  • $1.40 per pound was the reported low point for California almond prices in 2022.[37]
  • $3.6 billion was the estimated sector-wide loss under the same $2.70-per-pound market-price scenario.[36]
  • 2,200 pounds per acre was the yield assumption associated with the approximately $2.00-per-pound operating-cost break-even point.[31]
  • $2.57 per pound was the reported California almond spot-market price in the 2026 economic outlook.[37]
  • $7.2 billion was the estimated almond-sector revenue under a $2.70-per-pound market price and 2024 acreage and yield assumptions.[36]

Financial planning in the almond industry

  • 57% to 60% was the increase in cash and non-cash overhead costs that California almond financial plans needed to accommodate between 2019 and 2024.[5]
  • 6% was the operating-loan interest rate used in the comparable 2019 California almond cost studies.[5]
  • 2,200 pounds per acre was the production level used to assess almond operating-cost coverage in the 2024 UC Davis study.[31]
  • 550.0 million pounds was the forecast California almond carryout for the 2024/25 crop year in the December 2024 position report.[5]
  • 8.25% was the operating-loan interest rate included in the 2024 California almond cost studies.[5]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Shelf-life and packaging improvements show up as measured extensions, including nitrogen-flushed high-barrier bags adding 15–20 months versus unlined cardboard cartons.

Product development in the almond industry

  • 2,317 new almond introductions appeared in the global bakery category in 2021, up 15% year over year.[5]
  • Almond flour recorded a 25% average compound annual growth rate in new product launches from 2017 to 2021.[5]
  • 9,883 new products featuring almonds were introduced worldwide in 2024.[5]
  • 10% of new almond product launches used almond pieces in 2021.[5]
  • 40% of new almond product launches used almond flour in 2021.[5]

Product lifecycle in the almond industry

  • Almonds can have more than two years of shelf life when stored below 10°C and 65% relative humidity.[5]
  • Reducing almond storage relative humidity by 10 percentage points extended expected sensory-failure time by approximately 4.2 months.[5]
  • Nitrogen-flushed high-barrier bags extended expected almond shelf life by approximately 15–20 months versus unlined cardboard cartons.[5]
  • Nitrogen-flushed polypropylene bags extended expected almond shelf life by approximately 7.2 months versus unlined cardboard cartons.[5]
  • Raw, blanched and blanched-sliced almonds were evaluated in a long-term storage study lasting at least 18 months.[5]

Value proposition in the almond industry

  • 77% of surveyed North American consumers agreed that products containing almonds are worth paying more for in 2010.[5]
  • 96% of surveyed North American consumers agreed that products containing almonds are more nutritious in 2010.[5]
  • 95% of surveyed North American consumers agreed that products containing almonds are high in protein in 2010.[5]
  • 99% of surveyed North American consumers agreed that products containing almonds are tasty and nutritious in 2010.[5]
  • 90% of surveyed North American consumers agreed that products containing almonds are more satiating or filling in 2010.[5]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Water and recycling performance are quantified, with 80% of orchards using efficient micro-irrigation per 2024 reporting.

Sustainability in the almond industry

  • 32% of California almond industry acres were assessed through the California Almond Stewardship Platform.[38]
  • 55% of farm organizations had adopted whole-orchard recycling within several years of its introduction.[38]
  • 33% more water-use reduction was achieved by California almond orchards between 2018 and 2022, against a 20% reduction goal for 2025.[38]
  • 685,000 acres of California almond orchards maintained cover crops between tree rows.[38]
  • 80% of California almond orchards used efficient micro-irrigation, according to 2024 industry reporting.[38]

Circular economy in the almond industry

  • 30 million metric tons of carbon were estimated to be sequestered across California almond acreage.[38]
  • $76 to $106 per ton was the reported value of California almond hulls sold as livestock feed in 2026.[39]
  • 2.4 tons of carbon per acre were sequestered in soil over time through whole-orchard recycling in California almond production.[38]
  • 2 pounds of hull material were generated for every pound of kernels handled by the cited California processor.[40]
  • $21 million to $31 million was the estimated potential annual revenue from returning almond shells to orchards as potassium amendment and mulch in California.[39]

Carbon footprint in the almond industry

  • 2.86 kg CO2e per kilogram of almond kernel was reported for the South San Joaquin Valley without coproduct substitution.[5]
  • 0.51 kg CO2e per kilogram of almond kernel was reported for the North San Joaquin Valley with coproduct substitution.[5]
  • 27.3% of global-warming impacts in California almond production were attributed to irrigation in the 2021 life-cycle assessment.[41]
  • 1.23 kg CO2e per kilogram of almond kernel was the Central Valley average carbon footprint using coproduct substitution.[5]
  • 2.26 kg CO2e per kilogram of almond kernel was reported for the North San Joaquin Valley without coproduct substitution.[5]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Trade flows stay oriented around major markets, with export share at 85% of U.S. production and India receiving more than 423 million pounds in 2024/25.

Globalization in the almond industry

  • 29% of combined global almond, walnut and pistachio imports went to the European Union in 2023/24.[47]
  • The United States exported 318.2 million kilograms of in-shell almonds in 2024.[48]
  • 11% of combined global almond, walnut and pistachio imports went to India in 2023/24.[47]
  • 12% of combined global almond, walnut and pistachio imports went to China in 2023/24.[47]
  • 85% of U.S. almond production was exported, according to USDA’s 2024 tree-nut trade analysis.[47]

Cultural adaptation in the almond industry

  • 21% was the compound annual growth rate of halal claims on new products featuring almond pieces between 2017 and 2021.[5]
  • 145% was the compound annual growth rate for “new experience” claims on global almond products between 2023 and 2025.[5]
  • 67% was the compound annual growth rate for comfort-based claims on global almond products between 2023 and 2025.[5]
  • 52% was the compound annual growth rate of halal claims on new products featuring almond milk between 2017 and 2021.[5]
  • 86% was the compound annual growth rate of lactose-free claims on new products featuring whole almonds between 2017 and 2021.[5]

Supplier management in the almond industry

  • About 10,000 orchards are farmed by families connected to Almendrave across Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia.[49]
  • 40% of U.S. almond farms were represented by Blue Diamond Growers in the cooperative’s 2023 climate-smart project narrative.[13]
  • More than 7,600 California almond farmers and processors are represented by the Almond Board of California.[5]
  • 24 first-tier cooperatives and more than 365 almond-growing families participate in the Spanish cooperative Almendrave network.[49]
  • Approximately 3,000 farmers were members of Blue Diamond Growers when its USDA climate-smart project was described in 2023.[13]

Stakeholder management in the almond industry

  • 502.65 million pounds of almonds were carried into the 2024/25 California marketing year, according to the Almond Board’s August 2024 position report.[31]
  • 7,600+ California almond farmers and processors are stakeholders represented by the Almond Board of California in industry initiatives.[5]
  • 37% was the year-over-year decrease in California almond inventories carried into 2024/25.[31]
  • 1.99 billion pounds of U.S. almonds were exported in marketing year 2023/24.[31]
  • 10% was the increase in U.S. almond export volume in 2023/24 compared with the five-year average.[31]

Distribution channels in the almond industry

  • 14% of North American new product launches featuring almonds were confectionery products in 2019.[50]
  • 9% of North American new product launches featuring almonds were dairy products in 2019.[50]
  • 10% of North American new product launches featuring almonds were bakery products in 2019.[50]
  • 60% of new product launches containing whole almonds were confectionery products between 2017 and 2021.[5]
  • 5% was the volume share of almonds in the U.S. produce department, despite almonds being the country’s most-consumed nut.[11]

16 Statistics

Regional markets

California production metrics anchor forecasts, including 2.715 billion shelled pounds in 2025 valued at $6.87 billion.

The almond industry in California

  • $6.87 billion was the value of California’s almond crop in 2025, up 11% from the previous season.[51]
  • $4.95 billion in foreign sales made almonds California’s top agricultural export commodity in 2024, up 13.5% from 2023.[52]
  • 1.40 million bearing acres supported California almond production in 2025, up 1% from 2024.[51]
  • 1,940 pounds per acre was California’s average almond yield in 2025, down 20 pounds from 2024.[51]
  • 2.64 billion pounds of shelled almonds were produced in California in 2025, with utilized production up less than 1% from 2024.[51]

Key questions about the Almond Industry

What is the U.S. almond market size in 2026?
Ken Research projects the U.S. almond market to rise from $2.440 billion in 2025 to $3.345 billion by 2031, implying a 5.4% CAGR.
How fast is the almond market expected to grow?
The U.S. market CAGR for 2025–2031 is 5.4%, based on the move from $2.440 billion in 2025 to $3.345 billion by 2031.
Which companies lead the almond industry?
The Wonderful Company leads Gitnux's 2026 almond ranking with an Overall score of 9.6, with ownership of the widely distributed Wonderful Pistachios almond and pistachio snack business. Select Harvests is the highest-ranked grower-owned processor-marketer at 9.4, with revenue growth 35.4% and operating margin 13.7% signaled by company metrics.
What technology shifts matter for almond operations?
Manufacturing data-quality gaps show up as 44% of AI projects failing due to poor data quality in 2025, alongside 61% relying on corporate governance plans for data collection and access in 2024.
How concentrated is the almond supply chain?
California drives the national picture: USDA lists 1.40 million bearing acres and 2.715 billion pounds of 2025 production in California, with no other U.S. state contributing material production in the national table.
What do export volumes and shipping shares look like?
Exports represented 77% of total shipments in 2025/26, with 2.034 billion pounds of export shipments and 203.6 million pounds of U.S. shipments in the crop year close.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Almond Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/almond-industry-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Almond Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/almond-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Almond Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/almond-industry-statistics.

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