The almond is the fastest growing nut in Spain, both in volume and value.

European almonds are a phenomenon in Spain and beyond. In fact, 2023 was a pivotal year for almond consumption in Spain, which grew by 32.6% compared to the previous year (from 11.1 million kg to 14.7 million kg), according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. A significant portion of this increase is due to European almonds, a healthy and sustainable food of Iberian origin, cultivated in Spain and Portugal, and rapidly becoming a trend.

In 2023, the market value of almonds in Spain increased by 26.6%, reaching €178.2 million (€140.7 million in 2022), and per capita spending by Spaniards reached €3.81 (up 25.2%). This product now represents 9.2% of the total volume of nuts consumed in the country, as well as 13.5% of the market value of the entire category. The typical almond consumer in Spain is a couple with middle-aged or older children, and adult couples without children or retirees.

This genuine boom in domestic consumption reinforces the European promotional campaign Sustainable EU Almond, co-financed by the EU, which has been carried out since last year by the Spanish association Spanish Almond Board-Almendrave and the Portuguese CNCFS (National Center of Competence for Nuts). The campaign highlights the Iberian origin of almonds, their quality, and their sustainability. The predominance of dryland almond orchards on the Iberian Peninsula and native varieties such as Guara, Belona, and Avijor-Lauranne are some of its distinctive features, which are used to promote almonds to both Spanish consumers and those in other European countries, such as France and Germany.

Export Powerhouse:

The Iberian Peninsula is a major exporter of almonds, and Spain has consolidated its position as second in the world ranking , only behind the United States, with no less than 9% of the global total. Adding together the three main presentations (kernels, roasted almonds, and almond flour), 130.8 million kilos were exported, mostly (87%) to other European markets.

Two of the most important are France and Germany, which are also the targets of the Sustainable EU Almond campaign.

In 2023, France imported 30.9 million kilos of Spanish almonds, with a particular focus on almond flour: up to 6.4 million kilos. This represents 35% of total Spanish almond flour exports. Germany is also among the main markets, importing 26.1 million kilos in total.

All this data places the Iberian Peninsula, and Spain in particular, at the epicenter of one of the major food trends of the moment.