The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) welcomed 1,300+ industry leaders from 65 countries to its flagship event from May 12-14, 2026, in Macao, China.
INC Executive Director Goretti Guasch opened the congress by highlighting the INC’s three priorities: increasing consumption of nuts and dried fruit, obtaining a health claim, and pioneering and advancing sustainable practices. She also unveiled the INC’s new Gen-Z-focused campaign in Southeast Asia, presented the roadmap to gain a health claim for nuts, and shared that the INC Sustainability Certification is now fully operational and actively certifying companies.
Early forecasts discussed during the round tables indicate that global 2026/2027 tree nut production is projected to remain stable at six million metric tons. Almonds (+3%) lead production; walnuts are expected to remain steady (+0.15%); hazelnuts to expand (+39%), and cashews to slightly decline (-3%). Due to the off-year, pistachios are expected to drop 36%. Significant growth is expected for Brazil nuts (+81%) and pine nuts (+63%). Peanuts are expected to decline slightly by 6%. Dried fruit production is projected to rise 11%, driven by gains in raisins (+22%) and a 52% rebound in apricots.
Aside from weather disruptions, key challenges include shipping disruptions and rising costs due to the geopolitical situation, tariffs and other trade barriers.
Other key moments included keynotes by Brandy Niu, VP of JD.com, who spoke about future opportunities in China’s snack industry, and Jason Fu, chief AI expert at Feishu, who discussed how AI is ushering in a new era for the enterprise digital workforce. The Nutrition Research Seminar shared scientific evidence supporting the benefits of nuts and dried fruit in diabetes prevention and weight management.
In INC Awards, Chacha Food and Three Squirrels received the Corporate Golden Nut Award; Cao Derong, President of the China Chamber of Commerce (CFNA), received the Honorary Golden Nut Award; Cheng Hung Kay and Weng Yangyang received the Lifetime Achievement Award; chef Jack Lin was recognized for Excellence in Gastronomy; and Prof. Cyril Kendall of the University of Toronto was awarded for Excellence in Research.
INC Chairman Ashok Krishen concluded the congress by commenting:
“The 43rd INC Congress in Macao has been a huge success. At the INC, we remain committed to promoting the health benefits of nuts and dried fruit, increasing consumption, and pioneering sustainability in the sector.”
