Blue Diamond Growers (BDG) – a non-profit grower-owned farmer cooperative – has utilized Market Access Program (MAP) funding in Thailand since launching its Almond Breeze® product line in 2017. More recently, BDG has maximized the effectiveness of its promotional program with supplemental funds provided through the Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) program. BDG leverages these programs together to invest in comprehensive marketing campaigns. These serve to strengthen the Almond Breeze® brand in Thailand, as the market for non-soy milk alternatives has dramatically expanded since 2017.
Specifically, MAP- and ATP-funded promotions in Thailand highlight the great taste, California origins, health benefits, and superior quality of Blue Diamond Almond Breeze.® Celebrity endorsements, including from Thai actress and model Matcha Mosimann, further develop BDG’s image and offer credibility to the brand. Advertisments appear across traditional television and radio programs, as well as social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Additionally, out-of-home advertisements are implemented across metropolitan areas of Bangkok to further target working consumers during their daily commutes. These promotions supplement traditional retail activities such as in-store sampling, which prompt consumer trial and repeat purchases of Blue Diamond Almond Breeze.®
Using both MAP and ATP funding to support this robust array of promotions has allowed BDG to succeed in establishing Almond Breeze® as the most popular milk alternative in Thailand after just three years on the market. Furthermore, annual almond beverage base sales to Thailand have grown by 137% since 2017. These market gains were sustained through BDG’s 2020 fiscal year despite challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as seen by a 47% year-over-year sales increase from 2019. This persistent growth – expected to continue an additional 17% through 2021 – would not have been possible without the support of the MAP and ATP programs. Looking ahead, BDG expects to continue building the Almond Breeze® brand and driving sales and exports of California almonds to Thailand, benefiting the entire U.S. almond industry.
Blue Diamond Growers is the leading U.S. nonprofit grower-owned almond cooperative, representing over half of California’s almond growers and employing over 1,500 individuals. Furthermore, Blue Diamond Growers’ operations generate over $1 billion annually to the state’s economy.