PQ magazine from the National Peanut Board

PQ October 2016 issue 34

a magazine from the

National Peanut Board

news/food/innovations/wellness/marketing

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Cultivating a New Generation of Peanut Eaters Millennial Dining Summit

Innovative Marketing

Peanut Allergy Research

Follow the summit’s culinary experts as they discover why millennials and peanuts are a perfect fit for today’s restaurants.

The Peanut Vendor builds passion for peanuts by being passionate. Twitter and Instagram News.

Q&A with Dr. JJ Levenstein shows what the groundbreaking LEAP and LEAP-On studies mean for peanuts.

The Millennial Dining Summit’s featured dish: Lo Mai Gai by Chef Alex Ong

NationalPeanutBoard.org

The National Peanut Board represents all of America’s peanut farmers and their families. As farmers and stewards of the land, our mission is to grow, cultivate and promote the best-tasting peanuts in the world. We seek to be responsible in all that we do, from production research that results in a more healthful, sustainable crop, to sharing all the nutritional and culinary benefits of USA-grown peanuts.

A Message from Our 2016 Chairman

BY GAYLE WHITE Chairman

National Peanut Board 2016 Officers and Members Gayle White, Chairman Ed White, Vice Chairman Dan Ward, Secretary Gregory Gill, Treasurer Alabama Ed White Tom Corcoran, Alternate

Dear Fellow Peanut Farmers,

Arkansas Gregory Gill Gregory Baltz, Alternate

The National Peanut Board has been promoting its dramatic change to advertise more squarely to millennials. You’ll hear and read all of the reasons why doing things differently to reach millennials is a beneficial strategy, but it will really hit home as you begin to recognize the differences between the older and younger generations being played out in your own home.

Florida Jeffery Pittman William Carte, Alternate Georgia Andy Bell Neil Lee, Alternate Mississippi Joe Morgan Lonnie Fortner, Alternate New Mexico Wayne Baker Kenneth Cox, Alternate North Carolina Dan Ward Ray Garner, Alternate Oklahoma Gayle White Les Crall, Alternate South Carolina Bud Bowers Neal Baxley Jr., Alternate Texas Peter Froese Jr. Bob White, Alternate Virginia John Crumpler II Paul Rogers, Alternate Member-at-Large

Eileen Jordan Micah Barham, Alternate Bob Parker NPB President and CEO PQ Editorial Staff & Contributors Editor: Cathy Johnson

About a year ago, I heard the Board’s marketing recommendation to focus more intently on this millennial group. I listened and supported this new direction as Golin, NPB’s top-rated public relations agency, and the NPB staff shared their marketing research and creative ideas to reach millennials. However, I’m not a millennial so I couldn’t personally relate to it. Or so I thought.

Over the course of my year as chairman, I have seen for myself how and why this new strategy is going to work. My three children are in the millennial age group; they’re 24, 28 and 31. How I find out about what’s going on in the world compared to my children is very different. As I’m sitting down to watch the nightly news program on TV, my son and his girlfriend aren’t looking at the TV screen; they’re on their phones, reading their social media newsfeeds to get up-to-theminute news and commentary. They almost never watch TV or read newspapers.

Reaching this millennial audience in the right way-meeting them where they are online-will help us sell more peanuts.

Everything the Board does works toward helping to sell more peanuts. Another example is the work we do on peanut allergy. Helping to find a solution to peanut allergy is not only the compassionate thing to do, it also keeps us in business. We share best practices that don’t advocate for food bans in schools and public places. We support research that will one day prevent the development of the allergy altogether so that peanuts can be a part of the lives of consumers and farmers for generations to come.

It’s been an honor and pleasure to serve as chairman of the National Peanut Board. I would especially like to thank the NPB staff who make the extra responsibility and travel of this position as easy as possible.

The future for peanuts is bright, and that light may be coming from a smartphone.

Sincerely,

Sr. VP, Marketing & Communications: Ryan Lepicier Lauren H. Williams

Mark Dvorak

Sherry Coleman Collins

Laurel Sprague

Keegan Treadaway

Lindsey Roberts

Sandra Flores, Art Direction Maricarmen Guevara, Design

Gayle White Chairman

CONTACT INFORMATION 3350 Riverwood Parkway, Suite 1150 • Atlanta, Georgia 30339 • toll-free tel: 866.825.7946 • tel: 678.424.5750 • fax: 678.424.5751 email: peanuts@NationalPeanutBoard.org • web: NationalPeanutBoard.org

Connecting with the “Always Connected” Generation The year 2016 brought change in the National Peanut Board’s marketing strategy; away from a broad approach toward moms of all ages to a laser-targeted focus on millennials, the group generally 20 to 37 years of age.

Millennials recently surpassed baby boomers as the most populous living generation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; and, impressively, millennials have nearly $2 trillion in buying power. Not only are there a lot of millennials, but they exert influence on the generations before and after them. All it takes is a visit to my house and a look inside our pantry to see what kind of effect our millennial kids have on the foods my wife and I buy.

I’ve spent the better part of this year reading articles and data about millennials and listening to experts share about the personal values and preferences of these young Americans. Without a doubt, millennials value authenticity and trust in companies they do business with, and they gravitate toward products that have good stories to tell-stories with strong connections to traditions, Earth-friendly practices and ways to contribute to social needs. Peanuts fit the bill perfectly.

Knowing all this, we want to reach this group in the most cost-effective way. Millennials are the most technologically-savvy generation ever. Their source of information is no longer from print media only, and even traditional television viewing is declining rapidly among millennials. If we are going to reach this demographic, we have to go where they are, and that’s online through social media.

Early in 2016, we introduced an online persona called the Peanut Vendor on Twitter and Instagram with the handle @PeanutsHere. Through the Peanut Vendor, we

BY BOB PARKER President & CEO

transfer his passion and enthusiasm for peanuts to our target audience and instill the same passion for peanuts that their parents have. Peanuts are a part of Americana; whether as PB&J, peanuts at the ballpark, snack peanuts and a Coke, or as the cornerstone in a favorite candy bar.

They are the perfect product to deliver the authenticity millennials crave.

Through @PeanutsHere, we are able to adjust our messaging “on the fly” as we never could do before with print advertising. We can establish a two-way dialogue, which was never possible with print advertising. Media impressions, over 129 million through the first half of the year, are now more meaningful because we can use technology to tailor the message. A recent Twitter post, or tweet, based on a new movie release targeting people who were known to be fans of the movie franchise, reached 320,000 people. Those people shared, or retweeted our message to their followers, reaching another 340,000 people. These impressions, from content shared by a person they were connected to, had much more impact than a routine magazine ad could have.

As we go forward with our social media campaign, our creative team will be able to adjust quickly to what works, and shift away from what doesn’t, in an economical cost-effective manner.

It’s been said millennials are the “always connected” generation due to their close relationship with technology. We want it to soon be said that “millennials are the connected-to-peanuts” generation, as we strive to show them how peanuts reflect their personal values and priorities.

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Cultivating a New Generation of Peanut Eaters How are millennials having an impact on the changes in dining we’re seeing today? National Peanut Board held its first-ever Millennial Dining Summit to find some answers.

The two-day gathering took place at the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa campus in St. Helena, Calif.

Food industry experts Maeve Webster of Menu Matters, Inc., Katie Ayoub of Flavor and the Menu magazine, Tara Fitzpatrick of Food Management magazine and millennial farmer Casey Cox shared their areas of expertise.

Eighteen chefs attended the intimate NPB event and created original peanut dishes in a market-basket challenge session. Leading up to the Summit, NPB conducted a Student Innovation Challenge whereby any culinary student attending the Culinary Institute of America could compete in a recipe and video contest, sharing what they know and love about peanuts. Six students, two to a team, were chosen to attend the summit, learn about the dining trends and compete for a $6,000 scholarship to CIA by creating and cooking an original and best-tasting peanut dish.

The Result? We’ve started a conversation about how peanuts

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are a perfect fit for a generation of diners who are changing the way we eat, and we showed how peanut products deserve a place at the table in all kinds of restaurants.

The Summit’s keynote speaker, Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters, said, “The millennials, ages 21 to 37, are the game-changing generation and are setting a new standard for other generations to follow. To quote Lee Linthicum of Global Food Research at Euromonitor International, ‘Millennials have new tastes, new priorities and want things that reflect their personal values.”

Webster’s presentation, “What Millennials Want,” gave an overview of millennial preferences and trends in dining and the role peanuts play in these trends. She used research from her own company, as well as data from a Millennial Trends Report sponsored by the National Peanut Board to share how millennials are driving trends in our food and dining culture today.

Keynote speaker Maeve Webster

Millennials continue to move the social responsibility needle.

Data shows that millennials, across the board, reject selfish brands. If they can’t see how a restaurant or food retailer is contributing to social needs, then they believe they are not doing anything—or enough.

“Almost three-quarters of millennials favor ethical brands, an increase from about half in 2014,” the report said. They want to connect with companies that aren’t “out for self,” and who physically show they have a greater purpose that extends beyond the bottom line.

That’s why programs like Which Wich’s Project PB&J, which provides peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to needy communities by hosting spreading parties and donating company funds, have flourished and continue to influence others. The peanut industry’s humanitarian organization, Peanut Proud, provides jars of peanut butter for domestic hunger relief and disaster relief.

And we’re proud that peanut butter is the basis of a “peanut paste” ready-to-use food that treats malnourishment in thirdworld countries and that peanuts are part of the solution for a sustainable future.

Cultivating a New Generation of Peanut Eaters

Millennials are budget- and cost-conscious, but will splurge on items of value to them.

Webster noted, “Millennials have never experienced an upward trending economy and have taken out student loans at a higher rate than any previous generation. This is resulting in a generation that is extremely budget- and cost-conscious. They are approaching brands through a new pragmatic lens.”

Millennials prefer to spend on “food adventures.”

According to Webster, three out of four millennials would rather spend their money on experiences than on material things. Millennials will choose dining experiences that offer new and unexpected flavor pairings, native and regional experiences and food with a story to tell.

Millennials are redefining what “less” means.

Less was once defined as less calories and less time to prepare (fast food and quick service). But today, when it comes to their food experiences, millennials say “less” means less altered, less negative impact, less restrictive and more selective (as in restaurants).

This is good news to us here at the National Peanut Board, because peanuts have a low environmental impact, using less water than comparable crops.

In turn, peanuts have more protein than any other nut and are packed with 30 essential vitamins and minerals.

Millennials will choose dining experiences that offer new and unexpected flavor pairings, native and regional experiences and food with a story to tell.

Top: Student chefs spent hours in the CIA kitchen creating original millennial-focused recipes for the Student Innovation Challenge.

Middle: Student chef recipes were judged by a panel of experts.

Bottom: Student Innovation winners (L-R) Jacquelyn Clark, Kimberly Camara receive $6,000 scholarship from Cathy Johnson, NPB. (See page 5 for winning dish highlights.)

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Expect Peanuts to Influence These Five Millennial Dining Trends Do peanuts fit the millennial palate? Maeve Webster answered a resounding “yes”, and shared more food trends demonstrating how peanuts are expected to resonate with millennial diners.

(Statistics are based on research from Menu Matters.)

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Preference for functional foods. Millennials want foods that “do” something for them, such as offering nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Peanuts have more protein than any other nut and are an excellent source of vitamin B and manganese and a good source of vitamin E, phosphorous, magnesium, copper and folate. Peanuts meet the criteria as a heart-healthy food by the American Heart Association.

Student Innovation Winners Behind the Recipe: Roasted Peanut Falafel Salad “I came up with this idea for the Roasted Peanut Falafel Salad simply because I love falafel,” said Kimberly Camara, student at the Culinary Institute of America’s Hyde Park campus. “It’s one of my favorite foods.” Camara, along with her teammate, CIA student Jacquelyn Clark, won the Student Innovation Challenge, competing with two other semi-finalist student teams at the Summit.

Traditionally, a falafel is an ancient Mediterranean food made of chickpeas and spices, and then lightly fried. It is a popular street food today in Israel and throughout the Middle East.

Roasted Peanut Falafel Salad

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Desire for produce-centric menus or more produce in meatbased dishes. Think noodle bowls, flatbreads, wraps and stirfry. According to Webster, 48 percent of millennials will visit restaurants that emphasize produce as part of their selections.

Additionally, 30 percent of millennial consumers expect to increase their consumption of legumes and whole grains.

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Rise of nut-based items. In the past two years, consumers have increased their consumption of nuts (35 percent), nut butters (24 percent) and nut flours (20 percent).

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Partiality for plant-based proteins. Sixty-eight percent of consumers want to see menu items that are high in protein.

Peanuts are classified as a superfood, with seven grams of protein per serving and more than 30 essential nutrients.

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Broadening influence of world cuisines. Millennials gravitate toward unexpected food experiences and foods that surprise and delight. Expect to see creative dishes with peanuts added to foods in unexpected ways.

“The concept of the falafel is it is made with legumes, so we treated them as such,” said Camara. “I wondered if I could substitute peanuts for the chickpeas.” Camara and Clark knew that peanuts have a higher fat content than chickpeas, which are starchier. (While peanuts contain 14 grams of fat per ounce, 86 percent of the fat is unsaturated or “good” fat and peanuts are naturally trans-fat free.)

One problem to solve was how to get the falafel to hold together. They didn’t want to add flour because they feared flour would give the falafel a “gummy” texture. The team first experimented with boiled peanuts but the falafel tasted too salty and soft. The final dish used dry roasted peanuts which were blanched quickly, giving the peanut a texture similar to chickpeas. Then, the falafel was fried in peanut oil.

Some falafel fans like their versions wrapped in pita bread, but Camara and Clark paired the peanut falafel with a salad for a “fresh touch.” Clark’s favorite dressings are Thai-inspired and she chose peanut oil as a base for the salad dressing. The peanut chips were baked for a light, crisp finish.

“We feel this dish would be popular with cost-conscious millennials. We kept the basics that falafels are known and loved for. It’s a protein-rich food, has a Mediterranean theme and is inexpensive,” said Camara.

“This is a delicious falafel—crispy on the outside, hot and fluffy on the inside.” said Eileen Jordan, one of the judges for the Student Innovation contest and NPB at-large member (La.).

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Cultivating a New Generation of Peanut Eaters

Peanuts rank as one of my favorite things to eat and work with.

Chef Alex Ong

A Chef with a Peanut Story Because Chef Ong’s personal story is so tightly woven into his culinary success story, NPB chose him as a featured chef and presenter at NPB’s Millennial Dining Summit.

Chef Alex Ong, considered a leader in the culinary world today, began his love affair with peanuts as a boy growing up in Malaysia.

“Groundnuts, as we called them, were an extremely popular snack. I remember accompanying my parents as they drove around the countryside searching for the best roasted peanuts.

Snacks at the movies meant peanuts; both roasted or boiled. Or something stinky like fire-roasted dried squid, pounded with a mallet into oblivion, and drenched with a sweet chili-garlic sauce with chopped peanuts. To this day, I can never watch an action movie without a bucket of boiled peanuts.”

When Chef Ong started his culinary career as a kitchen apprentice at the Shangri-La Hotel in Malaysia, he set his sights on mastering classical French cuisine. His first job was at the Southampton Princess in Bermuda, then he moved to The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Atlanta and Amelia Island, Fla. It was in Florida where he noticed very few restaurants served authentic Asian food.

I wanted to take the ‘spirit’ of classic Asian food, and then create my own style. That was the turning point in my life when I decided to start figuring out how to cook food from home. And I never looked back,” said Chef Ong. He went on to work as executive chef and managing partner of Betelnut Pejiu Wu in San Francisco, a nationally-acclaimed source of Asian street food. “We went through about 150 pounds of peanuts every two weeks,” said Chef Ong, Chef Ong left Betelnut in 2013 and the restaurant closed in 2015. Currently, Chef Ong is working on new culinary ideas and business goals.

At the Summit, Chef Ong demonstrated one of his signature dishes, Lo Mai Gai, (see recipe at http://NationalPeanutBoard. org/content/1126/files/LoMaiGaiPeanutBoard.pdf). He deftly blended heirloom Japanese brown and white rice with millet, chicken, mushrooms, peanuts, kale, garlic cloves wrapped and steamed in lotus leaves; all the while sharing his love of peanuts with his chef-peers and students.

“I still use peanuts in a lot of my cooking. I use peanuts roasted or fried, or coated with spices and aromatics, or in braised oxtail soup, or with garlic and chilies, or steaming them with sticky rice in dishes like my Lo Mai Gai. Peanuts rank as one of my favorite things to eat and work with.”

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Dishing Up Millennial Trends

The Market Basket Challenge gave the chefs a chance to translate their new knowledge of millennial trends into dishes of their own creation.

The Summit’s capstone event took place on the final afternoon.

The challenge: Professional chefs, guests and students team up to create original peanut dishes inspired by the trending foods that millennials like or dislike. The huge Viking Kitchen at the CIA was laden with all kinds of pantry foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and several stocked refrigerators. Teams crafted different dishes in broad categories ranging from breakfast to small plates to sweet desserts. Here’s just one dish that emerged from the creative frenzy.

Millennials have grown up with international cuisines. This dish puts a fine dining touch on the roadside taqueria, for a surprising twist that millennials love. High-impact flavors of chili-fried peanuts, pickled peanut and jalapeño salsa, finished with a drizzle of peanut oil, makes this tostado interesting to the millennial palate.

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Grilled Prawn and Charred Avocado Tostada.

Created by Chef Doug Adams and Student Chef Joseph Deleon Guerrero.

Grower Voices

Grower Voices The Class IX cohort of the Peanut Leadership Academy of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation completed the two-year program this fall. Meredith Rogers of Family Farms Partners in Camilla, Ga., and Dexter Gilbert, a thirdgeneration farmer from Jackson County, Fla., are two members of the graduating class who learned about the rapid pace of change in the peanut industry. Here is what they had to say about the challenges facing peanut farmers today, and what they learned from their experiences in the Academy to help them meet those challenges for the future.

What unique challenges does your generation face in peanut farming that previous generations may not have faced?

Meredith: “We are much more of a global economy, and I think that is giving us more of a challenge than previous generations.

Technology is also a challenge. It is much more incorporated into every part of farming than in previous generations. Technology is important in everything, from planting to harvesting to marketing.”

Dexter: “Prices. Seriously, that’s it. Everything else is good, it’s just the prices. The previous generation didn’t have to worry about that, but we do. But the good news is technology is different today. I have an 11-year-old son who is able to help out in the field because GPS can provide exact coordinates of where to go. Technology is definitely going to help things improve for future generations.

What did you learn from your participation in the peanut leadership academy that will help you meet these challenges and continue to make peanut farming successful for the future?

Meredith Rogers, Camilla, Ga.

Meredith: “Well, it helped to give me a better understanding of all facets of the peanut industry, not just farming, which is what I do. It helped with all areas from the legislative side to the manufacturing side; all the way through. Probably the most valuable thing I got from the Peanut Leadership Academy was meeting people and making connections with fellow farmers, people in the industry and with legislators. I like knowing who to call when I have a question and I have a concern, and who can answer the questions for me.”

Dexter: “I would say the most valuable thing I learned is the importance of growing a good quality crop. We visited everything from shelling facilities to manufacturers to better understand the importance of a quality product. Peanuts are a real unique crop, with a lot of consumption. I would say the best lesson I learned was the value of doing a good job raising a high-quality peanuts and being a faithful steward.”

Dexter Gilbert, Jackson County, Fla.

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It is an established fact that millennials have changed the campus dining scene, pushing dining directors to offer more whole foods, creative menus and international cuisines.

Campus Dining Prepares for Post-Millennial Consumers Possibilities for peanuts continue.

The Peanut Butter Bar is a time-honored favorite for students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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Now, college and university dining halls, are looking beyond these millennial game-changers to the arrival of the first class of post-millennial (or Generation Z) freshmen entering college this fall. Research about these new students suggests an expansion of millennial interests and some far-reaching opportunities for peanuts.

Generation Z is the group of Americans born around the turn of the millennium into a world connected by the Internet and fueled by social media. Their food savvy stems from the influence of their preceding generation, and is multiplied by their propensity for social sharing. For this group of diners, food is much more than a means of nourishment.

“Now they are eating with purpose,” said Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary services at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “They share food, share stories and share tables with friends.”

Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary services at University of Massachusetts Amherst, oversees the largest campus dining facility in the U.S.

Campus Dining Prepares for Post-Millennial Consumers

Toong is researching the habits and tastes of the next generation in order to appeal to their interests. He oversees an award-winning operation at the largest campus dining facility in the United States; with four dining commons, several eateries and concessions, and even two food trucks. Their operation is so successful that they have been ranked among the top three for “Best Campus Food” in the nation on Princeton Review’s college ranking list since 2013, and were awarded the number one spot for this academic year.

Knowing what captivates this group helps dining halls stay ahead of the curve. “We look at their buying behavior, and look at how we serve them better, because we all know that these customers, these students, are the ones who drive menu change,” says Toong.

His research suggests that this younger demographic has an adventurous approach to food; shown by a knowledge of and passion for global cuisine “They love using chopsticks because it’s cool,” said Toong.

Much like their predecessors, this generation embraces diversity in their food, and enjoys exploring bolder, spicier and more authentic flavors. “Korean food is hot. Bibimbap is hot. Mediterranean cuisine is one the hottest items,” said Toong.

For one thing, peanuts have an incredible sustainability message since they have a small environmental footprint, and the lowest water usage compared to other nuts. They are also a nutritious superfood with plant-based protein. And because peanuts are a traditional ingredient found in many authentic international dishes, they are a natural addition to meals popular with globally-minded younger diners.

“A good example is, five years ago we saw lots of oatmeal cereal. And then, in the last couple of years we started to roll out congee,” said Toong. Congee (pronounced conjee) is a traditional Asian rice porridge.

“Congee has peanuts as one of the toppings. Now we serve 500 bowls a day,” said Toong. “Peanuts blend well with lots of international foods.

I think the sky is the limit.”

Besides having a penchant for new and authentic experiences, Gen Z is also expanding on their previous generation’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. “They really want food that tastes good, is good for them, while also supporting the environment,” said Toong.

UMass is changing some of their services to conform to this generation’s environmental expectations. They use compostable containers, for instance, for students short on time who would rather take their food to go.

And frequent, on-the-go dining is another defining characteristic of this generation. “We call it ‘modern eating,’ ” said Toong.

“Snacking is the new way of eating. They eat six, seven times a day.

No more three square meals. They want something grab-and-go, something very fast; but quality is very important.”

In terms of quality, Toong notes that younger diners prefer fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. And they want leaner sources of protein including chicken, fish and especially plant-based protein.

So what does all of this mean for peanuts? As Toong explains, it’s all about the story behind the food. And he says, “for peanuts, there is so much story to tell.”

Spicy Peanut Butter and Jam Wings

His outlook and optimism are not lost on the National Peanut Board.

NPB’s shift in marketing direction also focuses on researching and targeting the young demographics. Engaging this group through digital media to get them excited about peanuts will have a trickledown effect on influencing the post-millennial generation. And all of the positive characteristics of peanuts means there are great opportunities to be part of the story for this generation to share. http://www.menusofchange.org/advisory-councils/biographies/ken-toong http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges/campus-foodinfographic http://www.umassdining.com/locations-menus

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Finding Markets, Enhancing Peanut Exports

Q&A with Stephanie Grunenfelder, American Peanut Council

It’s a big world out there. How does the American Peanut Council choose the best export markets for U.S.-grown peanuts?

As the “cooperator” for the peanut industry, the American Peanut Council (APC) manages the industry’s export program, representing both growers and shellers. APC sets its marketing strategy under the guidance of industry members serving on the Unified Export Strategy (UES) subcommittee.

The APC chooses markets that have an excellent opportunity for sales impact, a workable trade policy, the ability to pay for high-quality peanuts, an existing culture of peanut snacking, established trading relationships, growth potential and a receptivity to nutrition messages.

What emerging markets are you watching?

The bulk of U.S. peanut exports go to the European Union (31 percent); Canada (26 percent); Mexico (21 percent) and Japan (3 percent). Recently, significant changes have taken place in the world peanut market: • In 2015, 10 percent of total exports went to China. But China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of peanuts, has been gradually shifting from being a major exporter to an importer. This hasn’t been a straight line, but as China’s consumers move from being poor villagers to middle class consumers, they are buying more prepared food. Peanuts and peanut butter are widely eaten in China, and present an enormous opportunity for U.S. peanut producers.

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• As a result of the shift in China, exports that normally went to other countries such as Russia or Southeast Asia, are now being filled by other countries, including the United States. The most immediate opportunity is the potential for increased sales to Japan. In addition to China pulling away from exports to Japan, the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement will eliminate the current 10-percent duty, making U.S. peanuts that much less expensive than other origins.

• The United States peanut industry began producing higher volumes of peanuts at lower prices due to a number of factors, enabling us to be much more competitive on the export market.

How does APC evaluate its export programs?

In early 2016, the American Peanut Council contracted with Dr. Harry Kaiser of Cornell University to conduct a return-oninvestment study, similar to the one conducted for the National Peanut Board in 2014.

According to Dr. Kaiser’s analysis, every dollar invested in APC export promotion by the USDA/FAS and APC increased industry net revenue, on average, by $13.03. Because APC pays for roughly 16 percent of the costs of the U.S. peanut export promotion programs (USDA/FAS pays for the other 84 percent), the benefit cost ratio to the peanut industry is actually 6.25 times higher, returning more than $81 for every industry dollar invested.

Less Funny Stuff, More Spice: Trends Driving Food Products and Menu Development

Less Funny Stuff, More Spice: Trends Driving Food Products and Menu Development

For example, a company called This Bar Saves Lives recently introduced a new peanut butter and jelly flavor, which they promote as non-GMO, gluten free, cholesterol free, dairy free, trans fat free and no hydrogenated oils.

In another example, Dollop Gourmet Frosting introduced Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Spread. The simple ingredient list includes shortening, cane sugar, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, rice bran extract and natural flavors, and it’s free from gluten, GMO, dairy and soy.

Savory spices and fruit and vegetable flavors are appearing more often in peanut products.

Example, 7-Eleven’s brand 7-Select GO! Yum introduced Jalapeno Lime Peanut Brittle in April 2016. This thin and crispy peanut brittle has “the clean flavor of lime with the added kick of jalapeno.”

Peanuts are part of a rising trend in “free-from” foods.

Consumers, including millennials, want fewer and more recognizable ingredients from packaged foods and restaurant menus. Of new peanut products introduced in the U.S. in the first six months of 2016, nearly 40 percent included claims of low/ no/reduced allergen, 36 percent included gluten-free claims and 22 percent included GMO-free on the label.1

On the food service front, gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan and fresh claims continue to grow. Menu items with peanuts that included a gluten-free claim increased 250% in the first quarter of 2016 compared to same period last year. For vegetarian/vegan, the increase was 270%, and fresh claims jumped more than 130%.2 Thai Green Curry Mussels with peanuts are on the gluten-free menu at fine-dining restaurant Magnolia’s at the Mill in Virginia.

Indonesian Peanut Saute is a vegetarian option at 400-unit fastcasual restaurant chain Noodles & Company. The dish is a rice noodle stir fry with spicy peanut sauce, broccoli, carrots, Napa and red cabbages, Asian sprouts and crushed peanuts.

With Japanese inspiration, 200-unit fast-casual chain Pei Wei has a freshly handmade sushi roll called Kung Pao Shrimp Roll.

It’s a California roll with mango topped with shrimp, crunchy tempura (seaweed) flakes, crushed peanuts, chile flakes and Kung Pao glaze.

1. Mintel Global New Products Database. Accessed June 16, 2016.

2. Mintel Menu Insights. Top 100 chain restaurants, top chefs, specialty concept and independents. Q1 15-Q1 16

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Building Passion

by Being Passionate Less than a year old, NPB’s Peanut Vendor is creating a new generation of fans.

By now you’ve met the Peanut Vendor, National Peanut Board’s consumer-facing online voice (also known as @PeanutsHere).

But do you know what he’s been up to? Launched in January, this colorful online persona has been hard at work spreading the passion for U.S. peanuts to a new generation of Americans.

Active on both Twitter and Instagram, the Peanut Vendor seeks out fun and relevant ways to toss peanuts into trending conversations with millennials.

The Peanut Vendor has shared more than 1,200 pieces of peanut-themed content, generating more than 271 million impressions since the accounts launched.

Social media gives marketers a tool they didn’t have with print or broadcast media–the opportunity to engage consumers in dialogue and measure that engagement. With a magazine ad, for example, you knew how many people were likely to see the ad, based on a publication’s circulation. But now, marketers can tell how well their content performs–and how it resonates with people–by how many of them engage in conversation. More than 9 million people have taken the extra step to share Peanut Vendor’s posts with friends (further extending our reach) and “liking” the content.

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Peanut Vendor is also carrying on conversations with influencers online and offline. In late February, Kristin Harris, an associate editor for Buzzfeed, lamented on Twitter that her jar of peanut butter had been confiscated by airport security as she was trying to board a flight to Iceland. When Harris arrived home from her trip she found a case of peanut butter and Peanut Vendor’s best wishes waiting for her. She was so excited by the surprise delivery that she shared it with her 6,700 followers.

But the Peanut Vendor hasn’t been the only one making changes online. The National Peanut Board has been hard at work rolling out a new, rebranded website (www.NationalPeanutBoard.org).

The new site is poised to become a hyper-relevant news and entertainment source for the National Peanut Board’s target audience, millennials and influencers.

The layout includes stunning imagery and articles that cover a mix of in-depth topics and snackable content. Included on the website are sections for the latest news, wellness, recipes and general peanut and peanut butter information. The new website is the first public-facing project of NPB’s new brand identity, which mixes rustic and contemporary styles and reflects the down-to-earth quality and modernity of today’s peanut farmers.

Stay up-to-date on all of the Peanut Vendor’s activities by following along on Twitter and Instagram @PeanutsHere.

Building Passion by Being Passionate

Marina Rachael, Social Director at The Fallon Show (10.8K followers)

MacKenzie Bourg, Musician and former "American Idol" competitor (148K followers)

Matt Marksberry, Atlanta Braves Pitcher (3.6K followers)

More than 9 million people have taken the extra step to share Peanut Vendor’s posts with friends.

Kristin Harris, associate editor for Buzzfeed, (6,700 followers)

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New School Peanut Resources Promote Math, Social Science Skills Growers can inform their local schools about the new peanut learning resources by contacting their state peanut producer association or the National Peanut Board.

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As elementary school students and teachers get into the swing of a new school year, they will have new peanut learning resources available to enhance a variety of subjects—math, science, language arts, geography and health.

New this year is an online peanut learning game, Operation Peanut Butter, accessible at www.MyAmericanFarm.org.

This new interactive game complements the booklet of 12 peanut activity lesson plans, Discover the Powerful Peanut, available for download at www.NationalPeanutBoard.org/ teachers and through state peanut producer organizations.

All resources are free and geared for teachers and students in third through fifth grades.

Funding and development was a joint effort of the National Peanut Board, Georgia Peanut Commission, Florida Peanut

New School Peanut Resources Promote Math, Social Science Skills

Producers, Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Virginia-Carolina Peanut Promotions, Southern Peanut Growers and American Peanut Council; in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Operation Peanut Butter This online, interactive game promotes math, geography and social science skills as students follow peanuts from the field to the peanut butter on their sandwiches.

To play the game, participants go to www.MyAmericanFarm.org and scroll to click on Operation Peanut Butter. The game poses a key question: "Have you ever wondered where that peanut butter that's on your sandwich comes from?" Players then answer questions that farmers face about how many peanut seeds to plant for a good yield. Next, they calculate how many peanuts are harvested per acre, and then figure out how to reduce the water in peanuts. Players identify key peanut growing states and learn how much protein is in their peanut butter. At the end, players visit an online food bank database and challenge friends to join them in donating a jar of peanut butter to their local food bank.

Cathy Johnson (NPB) along with Leslie Wagner (SPG, not pictured) demonstrated the new online game at the National Agriculture in the Classroom conference.

“Students learn how their food is grown and how it gets from farm to table,” said Cathy Johnson, marketing and communications associate at the National Peanut Board.

“Also, this game shows peanut butter’s value to community food banks because of its protein content and long shelf life.”

Along with the game, a 60-minute standards-aligned lesson plan, Peanuts and Nitrogen, gives teachers a resource to teach students about the role peanuts play in the nitrogen cycle. A printable activity sheet helps students test their knowledge of the nitrogen cycle. A video, America’s Peanut Farmers: Sustainability, rounds out the learning resources on www.MyAmericanFarm.org.

To promote the online game and activity booklet to teachers and classroom volunteers, NPB and Southern Peanut Growers exhibited at the National Agriculture in the Classroom conference in Phoenix this year; handing out printed copies of Discover the Powerful Peanut and showing the online game at the booth using digital tablets.

Several state peanut producer organizations are gearing up to promote the materials at state grower and consumer events this year. These free resources are available for download at www.NationalPeanutBoard.org/teachers or by contacting NPB at 678.424.5750.

Visit www.MyAmericanFarm.org to play.

Visit www.NationalPeanutBoard.org/teachers to download.

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Behind the Headlines: A Pediatrician Talks about LEAP-On A study about the benefits of introducing peanut protein to children at high risk for peanut allergy rocked the food allergy world earlier this year and continues to make headlines. The LEAP-On study, led by Gideon Lack, M.D., of King’s College London, was a follow up to 2015’s LEAP study. LEAPOn showed that the benefits of regularly consuming peanut-containing foods early in life to prevent the development of peanut allergy continue even after stopping peanut consumption for one year.

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Dr. JJ Levenstein

The National Peanut Board carefully follows the research around early introduction of peanut foods and its impact on the development of peanut allergy in high-risk infants.

We asked noted pediatrician and chair of the NPB Food Allergy Education Advisory Council, Dr. JJ Levenstein, to give insights into LEAP-On and how the research continues to support early introduction to help prevent peanut allergies.

Behind the Headlines: A Pediatrician Talks About LEAP-On

NPB: What was the rationale for conducting the LEAP-On trial after LEAP? Dr. JJ: In confirming that the early introduction of peanut protein to high-risk babies resulted in a drastically reduced risk of peanut allergies [via the LEAP Study], Drs. DuToit and Lack wanted to test the hypothesis that tolerance to peanuts could be sustained even without continuation of eating peanut protein. Their hypothesis was correct-and LEAP-On demonstrated a sustainable tolerance to peanut protein in high-risk children even after a year of avoiding peanuts.

NPB: How does this research inform recommendations for the introduction and consumption of peanut foods in earlyfeeding of high-risk infants and children?

Dr. JJ: Parents of high-risk children should feel more confident, and perhaps even elated, that they can reduce their child’s potential risk of allergy to peanuts through early introduction. Key to their success is their partnership with their healthcare provider and/or pediatric allergist as a certain level of anxiety should be expected. Pediatricians and allergists need to be armed with recommendations for how to introduce peanut protein so that families have affordable and varied choices. It is essential for peanutcontaining foods to be introduced in safe ways, such as peanut butter thinned with breast milk or formula; not whole peanuts.

NPB: Any changes in your thoughts for those not at high risk?

Dr. JJ: I think it is reasonable to continue to follow the AAP’s current recommendations about offering all complementary foods, both low and high risk, to otherwise healthy children in the first year of life.

NPB: There’s a lot of talk about preciseness of dosing for introduction and consumption of peanut proteins as the result of the LEAP and LEAP-On studies. What are your thoughts on ad lib feeding once a child has not had a reaction?

Dr. JJ: I would recommend incorporating peanut protein at least three times weekly–that’s what the LEAP study showed us. I also think it’s important to recognize that the concept of ad lib means to make sure there is a balance of many good foods in a baby’s diet.

NPB: For parents who want to introduce peanut foods early, what are your basic recommendations?

Dr. JJ: Try a small amount while at home with your child.

Observe your child for a few hours so that if there is any hint of a reaction, you are very tuned in. Never give a new food at daycare or when on the road–it’s hard to completely focus your attention under those circumstances. Once your baby has shown he or she is a fan of peanut protein, incorporate it into your baby’s diet at least three times a week.

NPB: What are some creative ways parents can offer peanut products?

Dr. JJ: Use smooth peanut butter swirled into hot cereal, thinned out peanut butter as a dipping sauce, peanut flour or ground peanuts incorporated into baked goods, or peanutbased weaning snacks (once baby is interested) can be utilized as well. Parents with young infants and toddlers always need to be reminded of choking hazards with chunky peanut butter, too thick preparations, or eating whole peanuts. We have plenty of safe and delicious options, and a growing repertoire of child-friendly recipes out there on the web.

Sources Toit, G. D., Sayre, P. H., Roberts, G., Sever, M. L., Lawson, K., Bahnson, H. T., . . . Lack, G. (2016). Effect of Avoidance on Peanut Allergy after Early Peanut Consumption. New England Journal of Medicine N Engl J Med, 374(15), 1435-1443. doi:10.1056/nejmoa1514209. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1514209 Toit, G. D., Roberts, G., Sayre, P. H., Bahnson, H. T., Radulovic, S., Santos, A. F., . . . Lack, G. (2015). Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy.

New England Journal of Medicine N Engl J Med, 372(9), 803-813. doi:10.1056/nejmoa1414850. http://www.nejm.org/doi/citedby/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850#t=citedby

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“That’s Just Wrong”: Tackling Misinformation About Peanuts

Social media and blogs can be wonderful resources for news, information and connection.

They can also be a platform for modern day snake oil salesmen, celebrity fear mongers and pseudo-news outlets to spread misinformation.

When peanuts are in the crosshairs, the National Peanut Board has a two-pronged approach.

First, we respond directly to the source with fact-based information and request corrections or retractions. Secondly, for misinformation that consistently appears online or that we hear about on the ground, NPB publishes and disseminates the facts so that consumers who come across inaccuracies also receive information from a reputable source. Here are some recent examples:

NPB created a long-running Mythbusters series addressing contentious topics: Natural Peanut Butter vs. Regular Peanut Butter Inaccuracy: Regular peanut butter is loaded with salt, sugar and oil. Only choose natural peanut butter.

What the facts say: The nutritional differences between conventional peanut butter and natural peanut butter are negligible. All peanut butters are nutritious and you can choose whatever brand you prefer. http://nationalpeanutboard.org/news/mythbusters-naturalpeanut-butter-vs-regular-peanut-butter.htm GMO Peanuts Inaccuracy: With the proliferation of non-GMO labeling on specialty peanut products and other food items, consumers think there are GMO peanuts on the market.

What the facts say: There are no GMO peanuts on the commercial market today. Today’s peanuts have been bred using expedited traditional plant breeding techniques. http://nationalpeanutboard.org/your-health/mythbustersgmo-peanuts.htm

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Peanuts and Aflatoxin Inaccuracy: Don’t eat peanuts because they contain mold.

What the facts say: Peanuts and other common crops such as corn, rice and tree nuts, can be susceptible to aflatoxin under certain conditions. To date, there has never been a human illness outbreak caused by aflatoxins, from peanuts or any other crop, in the U.S., where foods are carefully regulated and inspected to prevent such an occurrence. http://nationalpeanutboard.org/more/health-professionals/ mythbusters-peanuts-and-aflatoxin.htm Voices of Peanut Farming Series Only two percent of the U. S. population is engaged in farming; so the majority of Americans don’t personally know any farmers. It can be easy to criticize or accept the wrong ideas about the unfamiliar. The National Peanut Board literally shared the voices of peanut farmers through this series, complete with audio interviews with half a dozen farmers and researchers on topics including the farmers of today and tomorrow and the evolution of sustainable farming practices such as conservation tillage and water efficiencies. http://nationalpeanutboard.org/peanut-info/voices-peanutfarming-series.htm

“That’s Just Wrong”: Tackling Misinformation About Peanuts

Peanut Allergy Resources When peanut allergy is in the news, NPB leverages the opportunity to promote resources and evidence-based information. For example, when the family of a peanut allergic child sued a national bakery chain earlier this year, the news captured headlines for weeks.

The National Peanut Board promoted its resources for dining out with food allergies on the websites that covered the situation. http://peanutallergyfacts.org/blog/how-dining-out-can-be-anallergy-friendly-experience

By directly tackling these issues, we can remove potential barriers to consumption; working toward our goal of increasing demand for U.S.-grown peanuts.

Additionally, during Food Allergy Awareness Week, NPB shared evidence-based information through an infographic dispelling common myths about peanut allergy. The campaign received more than 2.3 million impressions. http://peanutallergyfacts.org/blog/8-common-food-allergymyths-debunked

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COMMON FOOD ALLERGY MYTHS

1

Peanut allergy is the most common food allergy.

2

Benadryl is a good first response for anaphylaxis.

3 4 5

Peanuts are not the most common food allergen, but are included in the top eight most common food allergies. (1)

Epinephrine (adrenaline), a self-injectable medication, should always be the first-line treatment for severe or life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). (1)

DEBUNKED

6 7

School-wide food bans ensure the safety of food-allergic children.

Food bans give a false sense of security. Allergic children and school officials can become lax about the precautions they need to take, potentially increasing the risk for allergic reactions. Schools should implement food allergy management plans to protect allergic children. (7,8)

For peanut allergic individuals, airborne exposure –like smelling peanut butter– can cause an anaphylactic reaction.

Airborne exposure, like odor, doesn’t affect the body systemically.

In order for an individual with a peanut allergy to have a lifethreatening allergic reaction, the protein must be ingested. (2)

Blood and skin tests alone should not be used to diagnose a food allergy. Oral food challenges are the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis. (1)

Women should avoid allergenic foods during pregnancy and breast-feeding in order to lower their child’s risk of allergy.

Experts do not recommend restricting maternal diet during pregnancy or lactation to prevent food allergies. In fact, according to the LEAP study, early exposure and sustained consumption of peanuts in high-risk infants prevented them from developing a peanut allergy. (10)

24 percent of Americans are allergic to peanuts.

Approximately 0.6 percent of Americans (all ages) are allergic to peanuts. Studies show between 1.2 – 2 percent of children have a peanut allergy. (5,6,9)

A blood or skin allergy test alone can diagnose a food allergy.

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The use of antibacterial hand sanitizer is an effective way to remove peanut allergen from your skin.

For removal of peanut allergens from hands, liquid soap, bar soap and commercial wipes are very effective. Rinsing hands with plain water and the use of antibacterial hand sanitizer are not effective ways to remove allergens. (3,4) Sources: 1. NIAID Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Summary of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel Report (p 6, 12, 18, 19, 21) - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ topics/foodAllergy/clinical/Documents/FAGuidelinesExecSummary.pdf 2. Simonte SJ, et al. Relevance of casual contact with peanut butter in children with peanut allergy. JACIhttp://68.171.215.27/pdfs/ DrMa_PeanutAllergy_2003.pdf 3. Perry, T. Distribution of peanut allergen in the environment. JACI 2004. (p 973) 4. FARE Cleaning Methods - http://www.foodallergy.org/tools-and-resources/resources-for/childcare-facilities/cleaning-methods 5. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Dec;112(6):1203-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/pubmed/14657884 6. Pediatrics Vol. 128 No. 1 July 1, 2011. pp. e9 -e17 (doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-0204) http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/1/e9.full.pdf+html 7. “Banning allergens from school can create ‘false sense of security’”. (2012). Section 504 Compliance Advisor, 16 (2), 4. (p 7) 8. Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies In Schools and Early Care and Education Programs http://www.cdc.gov/ healthyyouth/-foodallergies/pdf/13_243135_A_Food_Allergy_Web_508.pdf (p 37) 9. The Bantam Group.

Allergy & School Bans/Restrictions. 2013 Consumer Allergy Study. (p 7, 11) 10. http://www.nejm.org/doi/ full/10.1056/NEJMoa141485011. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1514209

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power business and leisure travel

In 2015

Delta Air Lines served more than

79.4 MILLION BAGS OF PEANUTS

Southwest Airlines served more than

106

MILLION BAGS OF PEANUTS

That’s more than 186 million bags combined, which is enough to provide a bag of peanuts to nearly 60 percent of the U.S. population.

Sources: May 2016 issue of Delta Sky Magazine; http://msp.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/vds2016/i5/p170 Southwest Corporate Fact Sheet; http://www.swamedia.com/channels/Corporate-Fact-Sheet/pages/corporate-fact-sheet U.S. Census Bureau; http://www.census.gov/popclock/

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