Global nut processing market analysis: demand for almond cracking continues to rise

3 minutes read
almond cracking production line

As global consumption of healthy food continues to grow, nut products are becoming more and more popular among consumers. As one of the most representative categories, almonds have become an important part of the global nut market due to their rich nutritional value, wide range of applications, and stable export demand.

Accordingly, the demand for almond cracking equipment is also rising rapidly, especially in export-oriented processing plants.

Healthy consumption drives demand for almonds

In recent years, consumer demand for high-protein, low-carbohydrate, additive-free natural foods has increased significantly in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Asia. Almonds are widely used as highly nutritious nuts:

  • Baked goods (sliced almonds, almond flour)
  • Healthy snacks (nut mix packets)
  • Plant-based beverages (almond milk)
  • Beauty and healthcare ingredients

This trend is driving continued growth in demand for shelled almond kernels, which in turn is driving the willingness of global processors to invest in efficient shelling equipment.

The cracking process has become a key constraint on capacity

In the nut processing process, almond shelling is a technically difficult and labour-intensive process. Traditional manual shelling methods can no longer meet the requirements of the high-volume, standardised market, and common problems include:

  • High crushing rate of kernel, affecting the rate of finished products.
  • Low efficiency is limiting the increase in production capacity.
  • Difficult to recruit workers, increasing labour costs.

As a result, more and more companies are turning to automated almond cracking lines for efficient, low-loss, continuous processing.

Market hot spots

  • Middle East countries: such as Turkey and Iran, almond cultivation is widespread, driven by both export and local consumption.
  • Central Asia and the Caucasus: Georgia and Uzbekistan are moving from cultivation to further processing.
  • Africa: such as Morocco, Egypt, etc., benefiting from the ‘Belt and Road’ project, the processing industry is gradually developing.
  • Upgrading of factories in Europe and the US: higher automation and food-grade material standards are required.

Summary

Faced with the steady growth of the global almond market and the urgent need for processing efficiency, it has become a trend to invest in efficient almond cracker production lines.

Our company provides a complete set of almond cracking solutions from crushing, screening, air separation, to grading. It can be adapted to different raw material sizes, processing capacity, and export standards, helping enterprises to enhance added value and expand overseas markets.

If you need to know more about our almond cracker machine models, customer cases, or export supporting services, please feel free to contact us for technical information and quotation suggestions.