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Introducing RE-NUT’s In-Shell Almond Flour

RE-NUT AG | November 19, 2025

A Sustainable, Fiber-Rich Game-Changer for Confectionery

In-shell almond flour is a new ingredient innovation from RE-NUT that promises to add fiber, protein, and sustainability to confectionery products – all while cutting costs. This upcoming flour is not your ordinary almond flour: it’s made from the byproduct of almond milk production, meaning it uses the entire almond (shell, skin, and kernel) rather than just the nut meat. By retaining most of the almond’s shell, RE-NUT’s in-shell flour packs extra fiber and maximizes the value of each nut, turning what would have been waste into a functional food ingredient. Set to hit the market by 2027 in tandem with RE-NUT’s first industrial “Blueprint Line” production facility, this ingredient could help large confectionery manufacturers in the EU and US create healthier, more sustainable treats without sacrificing taste or texture.

BORN FROM ALMOND MILK

Turning Byproduct into Value

Traditionally, producing almond milk leaves behind a pulp that often has limited uses. RE-NUT is changing that paradigm. Our Blueprint Line, the world’s first industrial in-shell almond processing line, is designed to extract almond milk and produce almond flour in one integrated process with zero waste. Instead of discarding shells or unused fiber, the process “incycles” the valuable fiber from the almond shells into the flour output. In other words, the byproduct stream becomes a value stream, yielding a high-fiber almond flour that retains most of the shell material.

What does this mean for confectionery producers? Improved cost-efficiency and yield. By getting two products from the same raw almonds (milk and flour), manufacturers can reduce the need to buy separate nuts or ingredients for flour. The process makes use of the entire raw material with no discards, improving overall yield and process efficiency. In-shell almond flour allows brands to lower their raw material footprint: more finished product from the same quantity of almonds.

HIGH FIBER, HIGH BENEFITS

Nutritional Boost and Cost Savings

Including the almond shell in the flour dramatically boosts the fiber content, transforming the flour into a functional ingredient ideal for today’s health-focused confections. Almonds are already nutrient-dense – almond flour is naturally gluten-free and contains more protein, healthy fats, and fiber than refined wheat flour. With the shell’s fiber, our in-shell flour goes even further:

Rich in Dietary Fiber: The added shell fiber makes this flour especially high in fiber, which supports digestive health and satiety. (Standard almond flour already has significantly more fiber than wheat flour and our product retains even more.)
Good Source of Plant Protein: Almond flour provides plant-based protein (over 21% by weight) along with natural vitamin E and magnesium, contributing to the nutritional profile of your products.
Naturally Gluten-Free: Because it’s made entirely from almonds, this flour contains no gluten or grains. It’s ideal for developing gluten-free treats that don’t compromise on indulgence.
Cost Efficiency: Using flour that comes from your almond milk supply can cut ingredient costs. You get the benefit of almond meal without purchasing separate almond stocks, since the flour is derived from the same nuts used for milk. The circular process improves raw material utilization, which can lower overall ingredient spending.
Clean-Label & All-Natural: The flour is literally just ground in-shell almonds – no additives. It aligns with the clean-label trend and offers the kind of wholesome, minimal-ingredient appeal that today’s consumers seek.

These benefits not only make our in-shell almond flour healthier, but also position your confections squarely in the better-for-you (BFY) category. In fact, adding fiber and protein to traditionally indulgent foods is a smart way to tap into the growing functional foods trend. Consumers are increasingly looking for wellness-focused snacks with added benefits – and fiber in particular is surging as a “must-have” nutrient in new products for gut health and beyond. By formulating treats with a fiber-rich flour, confectionery brands can offer indulgence with a health halo, appealing to those seeking permissible indulgence. This is in line with industry trends, where even candy makers are adding fiber or protein to reinvent classics as BFY options.

Sweet Performance in Real Recipes

One big question any R&D team will have: How does this flour actually perform in baked goods and confections? The answer, so far, is very encouraging. In June 2025, RE-NUT ran an extensive consumer feedback panel, testing our in-shell almond flour (in the form of baking mixes) across a variety of applications. The flour was put to the test in everything from rich brownies and classic chocolate chip cookies to fluffy pancakes, crispy breaded chicken nuggets, and moist muffins. The results: across the board, products made with the in-shell almond flour earned high marks for taste and texture.

Cookies made with RE-NUT’s in-shell almond flour turned out fudgy and delicious in consumer tests, delivering on indulgence while sneaking in extra fiber.

Feedback highlights from the panel include rave reviews for the brownies, described as “fudgy and tasty, soft and easy to eat,” with a texture and appearance comparable to any high-quality brownie mix. Muffins were similarly well-received, noted as excellent in taste . Participants loved that these treats were gluten-free yet still “convenient, craveable products” that meet the needs of indulgence without guilt .

Muffins and waffles made with RE-NUT’s in-shell almond flour turned out crispy outside and soft inside.

Perhaps more importantly, the flour’s functionality across different recipes proved to be robust. According to our testers, the RE-NUT® baking blend flour performed well in a range of recipes – cookies, waffles, even fish/chicken breading – with consistently positive results on both taste and functionality. Cookies made with the flour rose properly and had a satisfying structure, waffles and pancakes puffed up nicely and held together without crumbling, and even breaded items browned well and had a tender texture. In short, our almond flour can seamlessly replace or augment conventional flour in many confectionery and bakery formulations, delivering comparable performance with the bonus of added fiber and protein.

Here are some of the applications that were tested and loved by our panel

Fudgy Brownies – Achieved a moist, soft crumb and rich chocolate flavor. “Great color! Looked like any other high quality brownie mix,” noted one tester.
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Came out with a perfect texture and structure “I’ve been desiring for years,” and were described as “scrumpdelyishus”!.
Pancakes – Fluffy and filling; one tester loved how they “puffed in the pan” and soaked up syrup in every bite.
Chicken Nuggets (Breading) – The flour (used as a coating) delivered a nicely browned, tender crust that one tester deemed “very good!”.
Waffles – Held together well without crumbling, with a pleasant taste and texture.
Muffins – Came out light and flavorful, with excellent feedback on taste.

The overall takeaway from our consumer trials was that we can deliver indulgent, craveable baked treats that also happen to be better-for-you (gluten-free, higher fiber). From a product development standpoint, that’s a huge win: you can innovate with functional ingredients without asking consumers to compromise on enjoyment.

A NATURAL, WHOLEGRAIN-LIKE FLAVOR PROFILE

One interesting characteristic noted during testing is the flour’s flavor. Because it includes the almond’s skin and shell, the flour has a heartier, more natural taste than blanched almond flour. Some panelists described the flavor of pancakes made with it as “buckwheat-like” or distinctly nutty and natural. This contrasts with the neutral taste of refined white flour or typical pancake mixes. While a few consumers used to very mild, cake-like pancakes found this flavor unexpected, many others found it appealing, reminiscent of wholegrain or buckwheat pancakes in a positive way .

In other words, RE-NUT®’s in-shell almond flour brings a subtle wholegrain character to recipes. For health-conscious consumers and fans of whole-wheat, multigrain, or high-fiber foods, this “natural” flavor is actually a selling point. It gives products an authentic, wholesome taste that aligns with their expectations of a nutritious treat. We believe products made with our flour will especially attract customers who enjoy Kodiak Cakes-style pancakes, wholemeal breads, or anything with a more rustic, wholegrain flavor. By positioning recipes accordingly, manufacturers can turn this unique taste into a marketing advantage: it’s real food flavor, not something overly processed or bland.

Of course, the flavor is still quite mild and versatile, in cookies, brownies, and other sweets, the chocolate, spices, and sweeteners typically dominate. But that hint of nuttiness can add depth to the taste profile. As one tester put it, “RE-NUT® provides a delightful nutritious protein flavor” that made a dessert feel more substantial. For product developers, this means you may not need to mask anything; if anything, you can embrace the subtle nutty, wholegrain note as part of the product’s identity. It’s an authentic signal of the healthful fiber and almond goodness inside.

ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY AND A CIRCULAR FOOD MODEL

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of in-shell almond flour is how it enables a more circular and resource-efficient food production model. In conventional processes, almond shells and other byproducts often exit the human consumption value chain. RE-NUT’s approach proves we can do better – much better – by transforming those low value components into high-value food ingredients. Nothing in our process goes to waste: every part of the almond becomes food. This is a tangible example of the circular economy in action, and it holds huge promise for improving sustainability in the food industry.

For confectionery brands, using ingredients like our in-shell almond flour helps directly reduce the raw material waste and environmental footprint of your supply chain. You’re effectively utilizing almond shell fiber that would otherwise be discarded, thereby getting more output from the same agricultural input. This improved resource efficiency translates into a lower carbon and water footprint per unit of product (link to sustainability and RE-NUT). It’s a compelling story to tell consumers who care about sustainability: your product is made with an innovative upcycled ingredient that supports zero-waste principles and more climate-friendly production .

Moreover, the clean-label, single-ingredient nature of this flour (just almonds!) means it aligns with the push for simpler, more natural products. You can formulate treats that are not only healthier but also environmentally conscious, without synthetic additives. And because the flour is a byproduct of almond milk production, it dovetails with plant-based and vegan trends as well – another plus for modern consumers.

It’s worth noting that fiber itself contributes to sustainability in an indirect way: high-fiber foods can help with satiety and nutrition, potentially encouraging better dietary patterns. Ingredients like in-shell almond flour that are rich in fiber and nutrients help create products that nourish as well as delight. Fiber has become a “driving force” in food innovation, with consumers prioritizing gut health and wellness. By incorporating such functional ingredients, brands are not only supporting individual health but also resonating with a broader movement toward food that’s good for people and planet.

Ready for Scale: From Pilot to 2027 Launch

All these benefits will soon be available at an industrial scale. RE-NUT® is currently building out the Blueprint Line, our first full-scale production line for in-shell almond processing, located in North America. This state-of-the-art facility, to be operational by Q1 2027, will mark the commercial debut of in-shell almond flour. We are on a tight timeline to deliver, but progress is strong: this isn’t a lab experiment, but a fully industrial food-grade line with automation and real-time sensor monitoring to ensure consistent quality. Once up and running, the line will produce both clean-label almond milk and the high-fiber almond flour in large quantities , meaning we can supply major confectionery manufacturers reliably.

Critically for our partners, we’re engineering this process for scale, safety, and reliability from day one. Every component is being co-developed with leading food-tech equipment partners to ensure it meets the standards of big food manufacturers. We’re optimizing the flour’s specifications for use in large-scale food service and manufacturing settings, from its fine grind and consistency to its storage stability. The in-shell almond flour has self-GRAS status in the U.S. (Generally Recognized as Safe) and a robust quality assurance framework behind it. In short, it will be ready for your production lines.

Because the Blueprint Line is a first-of-its-kind system, it will also generate a wealth of data and learnings. This will help us continually improve the ingredient and even tailor it to specific needs. We envision the Blueprint Line as just the beginning, a template for future installations around the world and even for other nuts (imagine similar flours from in-shell hazelnuts, walnuts, etc.). But the initial launch in 2027 is the key milestone when our in-shell almond flour becomes commercially available at scale. We’re as excited as you are to see it in action.

Partner with RE-NUT: Join Us on the Journey to 2027

If you’re a confectionery or bakery producer looking to stay ahead of the curve, now is the perfect time to get involved. We invite interested manufacturers to explore early product development partnerships with RE-NUT® ahead of the 2027 launch. By partnering with us in this pre-launch phase, you can co-create prototype recipes, conduct trials, and fine-tune applications using in-shell almond flour, giving you a running start on integrating this ingredient into your product lines. Imagine being among the first to market with a fiber-boosted brownie or a “better-for-you” cookie that leverages the unique benefits of our flour. You’ll be able to capitalize on the functional food trend with an exclusive ingredient story that competitors can’t match.

Our team at RE-NUT is committed to supporting these collaborations. We’ll work closely with your R&D chefs and food scientists to optimize formulations for large-scale production. Whether it’s adjusting particle size for a smooth chocolate bar inclusion or balancing the flavor in a delicate pastry, we’re here to ensure the nut ingredient delivers maximum value in your specific application. This is in line with our overall mission: to build partnerships that scale innovation. We believe collaboration is the fastest route to success, for us, for our partners, and for the sustainable future of food.

The countdown to 2027 is on. By then, RE-NUT’s in-shell almond flour will officially launch and begin transforming how confectionery products are made. We’re not just introducing a new ingredient but demonstrating a new way of thinking about food production, one where circular principles and nutrient density go hand in hand. We’re proud to pioneer this change and would love for forward-thinking confectionery brands to join us on the journey.

Ready to innovate with us? Get in touch to learn more about our early partnership program, obtain sample batches for testing, or schedule a demo. Together, let’s create the next generation of confections that are not only irresistibly delicious, but also rich in goodness and rooted in sustainability. The future of nut-powered, better-for-you treats is almost here, and we’d be thrilled to have you on board.

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