Seasonal effort supports ongoing efforts to strengthen walnut relevance year round

FOLSOM, Calif., Nov. 25, 2025 – The California Walnut Board and Commission is launching its “Be Merry. Feel Good.” holiday campaign in the US market to reach consumers during the year’s peak season for walnut purchases, when consumers seek ingredients for seasonal recipes and entertaining.

The campaign builds on the industry’s “California Walnuts. Feel Good.” consumer effort, which aims to modernize the image of California walnuts and reposition them as a must-have ingredient. Complete with a fresh, energetic visual identity, the industry-wide effort is expanding the target audience to include millennial and Gen Z consumers while enhancing engagement with existing consumers who already know and love California walnuts.

“The holidays are a critical time for the nut category, and this program helps ensure walnuts remain visible and top of mind when consumers are making purchase decisions,” said Christine Lott, director of integrated communications for the California Walnut Board and Commission. “During the holidays, gatherings of friends and family over a meal are one of the ways people celebrate and find joy. California walnuts are a great fit for the occasion, providing a feel-good ingredient that can elevate your holiday dishes. Our “Be Merry” campaign brings this to life, supported with retail promotions and in-store activity, while continuing to spark excitement around walnuts for the long haul.”

Retail support includes seasonal displays, tagged ads and in-store promotions. Beyond the retail environment, the campaign includes partnerships with social media influencers in cooking, wellness, lifestyle and entertaining. Paid advertising extends reach across connected TV, YouTube, podcasts and social channels and consumer publications. The Board and Commission are also reaching consumers in real life through experiential events that allow consumers to taste and learn about walnuts’ flavor and nutritional benefits.

California walnut growers and handlers can get the latest on the marketing efforts of the Board and Commission by signing up for the industry newsletter at walnuts.org/industry-subscribe/.

About the California Walnut Board and Commission
The California Walnut Board (CWB) and California Walnut Commission (CWC) represent more than 3,700 California walnut growers and approximately 70 handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers’ family orchards. California walnuts, known for their excellent nutritional value and quality, are shipped around the world all year long, with more than 99% of the walnuts grown in the United States being from California.

The CWB, established in 1948, promotes usage of walnuts in the United States through publicity and educational programs. The CWB also provides funding for walnut production, food safety and post-harvest research. The CWC, established in 1987, is involved in health research with consuming walnuts as well as domestic and export market development activities.

To explore recipes and learn more about California walnut growers, industry information and health research, visit walnuts.org.