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German Magazine Partnership Emphasizes Sustainability, Nutrition Germans love almonds for their taste and the variety of ways they can be used in recipes. And like millions of consumers around the world, people in Germany also want to be reassured that the foods they eat — including almonds — are nutritious and grown in an environmentally responsible way.
With those two concerns in mind, the Almond Board of California formed an editorial partnership with one of the best-known German women’s lifestyle magazines, Brigitte . A selection of articles and videos are currently live in both the print and online versions of Brigitte and Brigitte Be Green , its sister publication with a focus on sustainable living. It is the first editorial partnership designed specifically for the German market, said Kath Martino, Deputy Director, Europe and Strategic Communications Lead for the Almond Board of California. She said the goal was to educate Germans about how California almonds are not just healthy, but grown responsibly, too.
water efficiency, whole orchard recycling, the use of cover crops and zero waste to show how almond farmers are part of the climate change solution. For instance, the headline on one story asks the question “Healthy AND sustainable ? ” Gemperle provides the answer. “As climate change makes California more vulnerable to water shortages, farmers are eager to use this precious resource wisely,” Gemperle explained. “After decades of research, they have learned to use water as efficiently as possible, reducing consumption per pound of almonds by 33% between the 1990s and 2010s. By 2025, they aim to achieve another 20% and have already achieved 15%.” The story goes on to say that 85% of California almond growers use demand-oriented irrigation scheduling, soil- moisture sensors and micro-irrigation to water their trees only when and as much is needed. Sustainability and nutrition are important messages in Germany, which ranks first in Europe and fifth internationally in almond consumption. Germany is one of the top importers of California almonds, accounting for 119 million pounds in 2021–22 and 157 million pounds the year before (shipments were down in 2021–22 because of COVID-related issues). In addition to the video and online article, the partnership also includes two print articles: one in Brigitte and the other in Brigitte Be Green . These print articles go even deeper into telling the industry’s water and zero waste stories, and they touch on topics such as family farming and the decades of sustainability research invested by the industry.
“Most importantly, it addresses head-on the single biggest concern Germans have about California almonds — water use,” Martino said. The magazine includes an online interview and video featuring almond grower Christine Gemperle, who shares her experience in areas such as
Both articles (Brigette Be Green version pictured) also touched on topics such as family farming and the decades of sustainability research the industry has invested in.
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