• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, May 23, 2025

Two years after Flagstone Foods acquired Emerald Nuts from Campbell Soup Co., the brand is staging a comeback. With new formulations, packaging and a cheeky campaign via Blue Chip, Emerald is leaning into “no nonsense” snacking—that means whole nuts, no artificial flavors, and plenty of personality. Elaine Lohse, senior director of marketing, talks with CPG Insider about why simplicity sells, how to get scrappy with media dollars, and why fictional country duo Jericho & The Biscuit are perfect brand spokespeople.

Interview was edited for length and clarity.

CPG Insider: This campaign is part of a complete rebrand. What are you trying to fix?

Elaine Lohse: When Flagstone bought Emerald, the brand had lost momentum. It hadn’t been prioritized by the previous owner, and that showed. Distribution was shrinking, and we lacked a clear reason to exist. We’re in a very cluttered space, and as the No. 5 brand behind three huge players, we needed to define our role.

We did a lot of consumer research and found people liked our flavor, but that alone wasn’t enough. Plenty of brands offer flavor. We saw an opportunity to be the only mainstream nut brand with no artificial flavors, preservatives, synthetic colors, or GMOs—cleaner than most, even though people already think of nuts as healthy. So we leaned into that.

CPG Insider: That’s a tricky message—being the clean option in a category that already gets a health halo, especially given the current protein craze.

Lohse: Exactly. Most consumers assume all nuts are better for you. But when we called out “no artificial ingredients” big and bold on the pack, we saw them flipping over competitors’ packages to compare. That was the spark. We reformulated a few SKUs, cleaned up sourcing on ingredients like citric acid, and made sure we could truly stand behind that message.

We also overhauled the packaging—no more shiny, italicized chip-bag look. Now, it’s matte, clean, and communicates simplicity and naturalness from the shelf.

CPG Insider: How does that lead to a fictional country duo singing nonsense lyrics?

Lohse: Nuts are inherently funny, and we didn’t want to be preachy about health. The “No Nonsense” campaign flips the script by literally calling out the nonsense in the snack aisle. In our lead spot, Jericho & The Biscuit are performing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” but one of them—snacking on a competitor’s artificial-laden nuts—starts singing gibberish. The Emerald eater stays on key.

It’s a metaphor. Why settle for snacks full of junk and noise when you can have real flavor, no nonsense?

CPG Insider: What does the media plan look like for a challenger brand with limited dollars?

Lohse: We’re scrappy. Our budgets are tight, and our distribution is still growing. That means our media has to work hard. We’re focused on smart placements, like connected TV on Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+, some YouTube TV integrations, digital and influencer efforts, and strong in-store activations. That’s where shoppers make decisions.

We can’t outspend the big guys, so our message has to land hard and fast—on-shelf and onscreen.

CPG Insider: How will you know if the campaign’s working?

Lohse: Sales are obviously part of it, especially in a private equity-owned company. We have a lot to prove in terms of marketing effectiveness. But year one is about building brand health. We’re tracking awareness, perception, and whether “no nonsense” is starting to stick. Are people associating Emerald with being a smarter snack choice? That’s what we’re watching most closely.

CPG Insider: Who’s your target?

Lohse: We’re going after what we call the strategic snacker. They’re health-conscious, label readers, often millennials, and they don’t want to sacrifice flavor. That group is underrepresented in the nut category, which still skews older. We see this as an opportunity to bring younger consumers into the aisle—and give retailers a reason to give us more shelf space. We currently have low distribution, and we’d like that to improve.

CPG Insider: How are your pack sizes playing into that?

Lohse: Our two best-selling formats are pretty evenly split between the five-ounce resealable pouches and the 100-calorie snack packs. The snack packs are great for portion control and lunchboxes, but the five-ounce bags are a favorite because they’re flexible—reclosable, portable, and sized for multiple snacking occasions. Consumers love that balance between convenience and control.

CPG Insider: Last question. I didn’t recognize the talent in the spot—should I have?

Lohse: One of the actors is Dale Watson, a real country artist with a cult following. We’re seeing fans recognize him on social already. His co-star is a comic actor. We liked the mix—it adds authenticity and a little absurdity, which is exactly what we’re going for.