Driven by rising demand for healthy snacks among Chinese consumers, nut growers in California, the United States, are expected to export 111,000 metric tons of pistachios to China in the 2026 crop year (Sept 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2027), according to a major US industry player.

Wonderful Pistachios and Almonds LLC, or Wonderful Pistachios, the largest pistachio producer by production volume and sales revenue in the US, projected that total California pistachio shipments to China by the company and other growers could reach 110,000 tons in the 2025 crop year (Sept 1, 2025 to Aug 31, 2026), up 3.8 percent from 106,000 tons in the previous crop year.

Anita Lam, managing director for China and chief representative for Asia Pacific at Wonderful Pistachios, said the industry remains confident about the long-term growth potential for Californian pistachios in the Chinese market, and her company will continue leveraging its vertically integrated supply chain and longstanding operations to deepen its presence in the country.

Lam said the Los Angeles-based company is well-positioned to meet growing demand from the Chinese market, backed by more than 500,000 acres (202,300 hectares) of pistachio orchards in California and over $1 billion invested in next-generation processing facilities, while pistachio acreage in the state continues to expand at an annual rate of 6 to 10 percent.

Having cultivated the Chinese market for nearly two decades, Wonderful Pistachios has developed strong local expertise. Its local team closely tracks consumer preferences, allowing it to tailor products and marketing strategies to evolving demand, particularly as consumption shifts beyond major cities.

To create new channels for foreign products entering the Chinese market, the Ministry of Commerce launched the "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative in November, a move business experts said underscores China's commitment to further unilateral opening-up and consumption upgrading.

Against this backdrop, Lam said opportunities are expanding as health awareness spreads from top- and second-tier cities to lower-tier markets. Younger consumers, in particular, are showing a growing appetite for nutritious snacks, with pistachios gaining traction due to their high protein and dietary fiber content.

"At the same time, digital platforms such as Douyin and WeChat are accelerating the shift from seasonal gifting to everyday consumption," said Lam, adding that through short videos and collaborations with key opinion leaders, pistachios are increasingly positioned as snacks for fitness, office breaks and outdoor activities.

She said younger consumers' rapidly evolving tastes and growing expectations for interactive brand engagement are pushing companies to innovate in marketing formats and pursue more cross-industry collaborations.

According to the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development, China will strengthen coordination between imports and exports, place equal emphasis on trade in goods and services, and better integrate efforts to attract foreign investment and promote outbound investment.

"We will deepen cooperation with industry partners in China by ensuring stable supply, promoting diversified applications and jointly building a stronger ecosystem for category growth," said Lam.

China imported fruits and nuts worth $5.88 billion in the first four months of 2026, up 0.1 percent year-on-year, said the General Administration of Customs.

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn