AURORA, Ore., March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Hazelnut Growers of Oregon (HGO) is expanding its Oregon Orchard® snack & candy lineup with convenient 4 oz. packages and seven new chocolate flavors. And for the first time, the company is introducing two new retail bottles of hazelnut oil: an 8.45 oz. (250 ml) Extra Virgin Hazelnut Oil and a 16.9 oz. (500 ml) bottle of Refined Hazelnut Oil. The different oils serve different cooking methods (e.g., baking versus frying).
The convenient new 4 oz., stand-up gusseted pouches will launch in April for the existing chocolate and seasoned hazelnut flavors (nine items), along with the debut of seven exciting new chocolate-covered hazelnuts. The new flavors will encourage and inspire pairing ideas with other products in the grocery store, such as wine, coffee, cheese, meats, and fruits. The new chocolate flavors are Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Pinot Noir, Maple Bacon, Dark Cherry, Mocha, and Blackberry. All of these items are gluten free, Kosher certified, and do not contain any artificial flavors or ingredients, a requirement for most natural grocery sets in specialty and conventional store chains.
Along with the new flavors, the packaging has received a new look. Dan Herndon, HGO’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, explains, "We wanted to leverage some of the design elements of our original baking and seasoned packaging into this new candy line, while highlighting the benefits and features of our premium chocolate products. This, coupled with a desire to meet market expectations for convenience and offer an affordable price were the reasons behind this new look and size." The new lineup will start shipping in mid April for a suggested retail price of $4.99 at Wilco Farm Stores in the Pacific Northwest, www.farmstore.com, www.oregonorchard.com, and on Amazon.
In addition to the new packaging and snack flavors, HGO is releasing two versions of hazelnut oil: an Extra Virgin Hazelnut Oil and a high-heat Refined Hazelnut oil.
As for the new oils, the Extra Virgin Hazelnut Oil (250 ml) is an excellent alternative to olive oil when making salad dressing vinaigrettes, sauces, baking goods, or as a substitute for clarified butter. It also imparts a "nutty" flavor and aroma. For roasting, frying and grilling, it is best to use the odorless Refined Hazelnut Oil (500 ml), which has a higher smoke point of 470 degrees.
Hazelnuts are a good source of vitamins B6 and E and are Keto-friendly. All Oregon Orchard snacks are produced with HGO members’ hazelnuts, which are steam pasteurized in small batches at the Safe Quality Food Level 3 Certified processing facility in Aurora.
About Hazelnut Growers of Oregon
Founded in 1984, Hazelnut Growers of Oregon, a business unit of farmer-owned cooperative Wilco, has more than 180 growers who collectively own more than 20,000 acres of prime hazelnut orchards. HGO is the premier hazelnut processor and marketer in the U.S., servicing retail, ingredient, and food service channels for confection, snack food, and baking manufacturers around the globe. The Oregon hazelnut industry is expected to double in the next five years. For more information visit https://www.wilco.coop/hazelnuts/.
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SOURCE Hazelnut Growers of Oregon
