Nut sales surge as more Chinese call them healthy

Chinese people's increasing awareness of healthy lifestyles is influencing the nut snack industry, experts familiar with the matter said.

Sales in the industry have grown fast because people consider nuts as healthy snacks, and at the same time, nut snacks that are original flavor, organic or packaged in small portions with mixed nuts are increasingly popular, according to Wang Yingyao, academic and fund management director with the Chinese Nutrition Society.

"Statistics have shown that the rising rate of nut consumption in China is much faster than other snack items," she said, adding that sales of nuts in China were about 55.6 billion yuan ($8.14 billion) in 2014, and are expected to exceed 100 billion yuan in 2020.

The average price of nut snacks -- above 60 yuan per kilogram -- is the highest among all snack foods, and the most popular nuts among Chinese customers are macadamia nuts, pine nuts, pecans, almonds and sunflower seeds. As consumers are increasingly interested in tree nuts for their distinct flavors and nutritional benefits, many Chinese companies have imported exotic tree nuts for processing, Wang said, who is also deputy secretary-general with the organization.

Surveys showed that regular snack consumers, who are often ages 20 to 49 and more likely to be women in China, prefer snacks that are rich in protein but low in calories, salt and sugar, which underlines the fast rise in sales of originally flavored nuts, Wang said, adding that mixed nuts packaged in small portions for daily consumption are an innovation because of consumers' awareness about health.

Having nuts regularly can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer, and can help fight the signs of aging, but it is not wise to eat too many nuts in a day, said Wang Zhihong, a nutritionist with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The experts made the remarks at a recent nut health and nutrition forum held in Beijing.