Participating in community events such as farmers’ markets offer an opportunity to engage with consumers on a more personal basis. The American Pistachio Growers (APG) recently met with community members at a farmer’s market in the central San Joaquin Valley to raise awareness of the value and versatility of pistachios.
“This is probably our ninth or tenth year here at Clovis Farmers Market,” said APG Executive Director Richard Matoian. “It’s right in the middle of pistachio harvest, so it’s a good time to recognize and to celebrate pistachios, which really are starting to dominate the San Joaquin Valley.”
Participating in outreach efforts through social media platforms can be helpful in raising commodity awareness, but personal interaction with consumers can be a much more effective means of connection. Matoian noted that along with handing out samples, they have a variety of different recipes available to showcase the versatility of pistachios in new, creative ways. “We partner up with the Institute of Technology to show people the different ways that you can utilize pistachios in recipes; everything from savory, to sweet items. So, it’s a really nice mix of items that they offer up to the participants here,” said Matoian.
Miss California 2019 and official APG Ambassador, Eileen Kim was also on-hand to interact with the community to talk about the role pistachios can play in a healthy diet. “Being a spokesperson for fitness and understanding the nutritional value of the protein that comes with pistachios and being able to broadcast that across California and potentially the nation is incredibly important,” said Kim.
Fluent in English, French and Korean, Kim looks forward to the opportunity to talk about the health benefits of pistachios any chance she gets. “Being Miss California, a lot of people ask about for example, how we diet, how we get prepared, how we stay fit throughout our entire year,” Kim noted. “When we can specifically come back to one source of nutritional value and having that be pistachios it’s amazing.”
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