Product Focus
Chocs away - California Walnuts and Confectionery, a Winning Combination
California Walnuts have been in the headlines as a naturally delicious superfood, rich in protein and fi bre and the only tree nut providing a natural source of the plant-based omega-3
C
alifornia walnuts are incredibly fl exible as an ingredient and enhance the taste and texture of a wide range of products including confectionery, CWC are continually researching into how walnuts can be used in such products as nut butters and
sauces and main meals. CWC’s development team in Fulsom, California is working on improving the shelf-life of walnuts and preventing their deterioration during the production process. Walnuts are increasingly being used by small and large manufacturers in a variety of countries around the world, from nut butters, fl avoured walnuts and in the US, confectionery. Peter Meadows from The Garden Marketing & PR, the trade
representative for California Walnuts in the UK, gives the British perspective: “We are moving into an era of ‘smart’ confectionery which delivers on health and added value, and these concepts are now an accepted part of the category. Alongside their category-defi ning sweet treats, large
manufacturers like Kellogg’s and Mondelez and a host of smaller players are offering a wider choice to the growing number of consumers who are becoming more discerning and want products with nutritional ingredients that give clear health benefi ts. With their high Omega-3 content, California walnuts fi t beautifully into this scenario.”
Sweet success stories In the UK, one of the most famous confectionery products featuring walnuts is the Walnut Whip, launched in 1910 by Duncan’s of Edinburgh and now Nestlé Rowntree’s longest established brand. Over one million walnuts are used every week in producing Walnut Whips and California has played a key role over the years in supplying quality walnuts for their production. As an important part of the visual appeal of the product, the walnut placed on top of the Walnut Whip must be of the highest quality and it is a celebrated part of the entire ‘walnut whip’ visual and taste experience.
Happy together Chocolate and California walnuts are a perfect pairing as California walnuts are not bitter, so in couverture chocolate the taste and texture are very subtle. Walnuts are signifi cantly softer and the nut itself is creamier, creating a unique taste experience.
8 Kennedy’s Confection August/September 2023
“As one of the best plant food sources of omega-3s, a 30-gram handful of California walnuts provides 2.7
grams of ALA, 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fi bre”
California Walnuts are ideal for use in confectionery to
other walnut origins because the Central Valley in California provides ideal conditions to grow premium quality walnuts sustainably. With a sweet-mild taste and a soft creamy texture, California walnuts offer a winning combination of great taste, consistently high quality and availability all year round.
Unforgettable chocolate experiences Other ingredient suppliers talk about ‘clean label,’ but in many cases turn their foods into something different from what they were originally. California walnuts retain their natural integrity right the way through. California walnuts are naturally protected against contamination thanks to the ‘double shell envelope’ the nut has whilst on the tree. Once harvested the walnuts are kept in their shells in warehouses until they split. At this point the green outer shell is peeled with a peeling machine and the nut is mechanically removed and air-dried to the ideal 8% moisture level, preventing deterioration of the fruit and maintaining its quality during storage. California walnuts for consumer and industrial use are
dehulled mechanically, involving crushing the shells and sieving the kernels into various sizes, separating them from their shells with air and passing them through electronic colour grading devices. Finally, the shelled walnuts are manually separated by trained sorting offi cers and certifi ed to quality and USD standards. California walnuts are manufacturer-friendly too. Bulk shelled walnuts are supplied for industrial use in 12 kg boxes, with the product inside in airtight blue coloured food grade bags. California Walnuts can be kept refrigerated for use within six months, or frozen for longer storage.
KennedysConfection.com
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