The New SKUs
Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) is expanding its Planters seasonal snack portfolio with three fall 2026 additions — a new Maple Brown Sugar Almonds variety, the return of Apple Cider Donut Cashews, and a larger-format Special Reserve Peanuts offering — as the $12 billion packaged-food company continues to build out the brand's premium tier nearly five years after acquiring it.
The two flavored-nut SKUs hit Amazon immediately, with in-store placement at Kroger, select Albertsons and Safeway locations, Publix, and Ahold stores beginning in mid-August. Maple Brown Sugar Almonds come in a 15.25-ounce bag; Apple Cider Donut Cashews, a kettle-roasted whole cashew returning for a second season, are packaged in 13 ounces. Both are positioned as limited-time offerings and will be on shelf through the fall entertaining window.
Special Reserve Expansion
The more strategically significant move for retail buyers may be the Special Reserve line extension. Planters is introducing a 34-ounce shareable format of its Special Reserve Peanuts — sourced from a single Virginia grower and produced via small-batch roasting and hand-salting — as an exclusive on Sam's Club e-commerce, launching in early October. The 13-ounce Special Reserve returns simultaneously for its third consecutive year on Amazon beginning August 18. The channel-exclusive, larger-format play signals Hormel's intent to use club and e-commerce to test premium price points without cannibalizing conventional retail shelf space.
"Planters Special Reserve continues to redefine expectations for what a peanut can be, delivering a premium experience that has resonated with consumers year after year," said Gillian Lozak, associate brand manager for the Planters brand, pointing to three consecutive seasons of the line as evidence of consumer demand durability.
Why It Matters
The launch fits a broader industry pattern: flavored and premium nut products have outpaced plain roasted varieties in dollar-per-unit growth as consumers trade up within the salty snack category. Seasonal, limited-time offerings serve a dual commercial purpose — they generate incremental display placement at retail and provide data on flavor platforms that can be considered for year-round conversion. For Hormel, which absorbed Planters from Kraft Heinz for approximately $3.35 billion in 2021, the brand remains a key lever for top-line growth in its Retail segment.
Patrick Horbas, marketing director for the Planters brand, characterized fall as "a powerful moment for premium snacking," citing the nostalgia-driven demand for autumn flavor profiles. The framing aligns with how major salty-snack manufacturers have increasingly leaned into seasonality as a margin-accretive merchandising strategy, a trend well-documented across convenience and grocery channels.
All three products are available for a limited time only. The full fall collection rolls out across major retailers through August and September, with the Special Reserve 34-ounce format following in early October exclusively via Sam's Club's digital platform. Our colleagues at Food & Beverage Magazine have tracked Planters' post-acquisition brand investment as a case study in premium repositioning within the nut and snack category.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
