Revolutionizing the Plant-Based Market with California Walnuts at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE)

The California walnut industry was represented with its own booth at the Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) in November. For over 35 years, FiE has been one of the world’s leading trade shows for food processing. Around 25,000 suppliers, buyers, as well as researchers and developers from the food and beverage industry attend this event to discover innovations, set trends, and gain new insights.

California walnuts in innovative meat alternatives

FiE was the perfect place to introduce two newly developed meat alternatives made with California walnuts: a clean-labelled walnut burger patty and a walnut-based ground meat substitute. The warm walnut burger patties were especially well-received, with many visitors pleasantly surprised by their taste and texture.

Presentation of Walnut Prototypes

Another highlight was the presentation on the first day of the show. Stefan Wagemans, R&D Manager for plant-based products at Bösch Boden Spies, and Robert Verloop, CEO of the California Walnut Commission, introduced plant-based prototypes developed with California walnuts. They not only explained the underlying concept but also highlighted many benefits of using walnuts in food production.

Laying the foundation for future innovations

With the presence of California walnuts at Food Ingredients Europe, the first step toward future innovations in the European food markets was taken. The booth and presentations surrounding plant-based prototypes sparked interest among industry professionals and demonstrated that California walnuts could be a promising alternative in food production. This successful debut is just the beginning of a promising future for California walnuts in the food industry.