the hazelnut market | France

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

The hazelnut is an oleaginous seed belonging to the nut family. Originating in Turkey, which is largely the world's leading producer, the hazelnut is used mainly in gastronomy, and more specifically in spreads. There are two main families of French hazelnuts:

• Large hazelnuts (fertile coutard, corabel, ennis) for direct consumption, dried and/or roasted
• Small hazelnuts (segorbe, pauetet) often reserved for the shelled market

The global hazelnut market witnessed a strong growth in 2019, as it is estimated to grow at a rate of 33.3% over 2018.

Turkish domination of the hazelnut market is both a threat and an opportunity for French producers, who have been active since the 1970s in Aquitaine. In fact, hazelnuts are very sensitive to weather conditions and a major frost episode in 2014 reduced the Turkish harvest by 40%, leaving room for other players

Although Turkish production has recovered its former level, some competition is starting to appear. Knowing that the South-West of France has an ideal climate for the cultivation of hazelnuts and given that Europe is the largest consumer in the world, France has a real card to play in this quasi-monopolistic market.

The French hazelnut production market is mainly based on one major player, Unicoque, which accounts for almost 95% of production.

As with much of the agricultural sector, organic supply is also making inroads into the hazelnut market in France, as organic spreads grew by 19% in 2020 compared to 2019, with hazelnuts being the main raw material for spreads