• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer, 7 hours ago

Wonderful Pistachios is introducing a new campaign, its second with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. This time, it highlights a bit of NFL trivia: Allen, with deep roots in California agriculture, actually owns a pistachio farm.

After debuting the campaign on “Monday Night Football,” this year’s effort also includes plenty of behind-the-scenes social content, including giveaways of Allen-autographed jerseys, footballs and other merchandise, and life-sized cardboard cutouts of the 6’ 5” QB.

Wonderful notes that the campaign comes at an intense time for California’s pistachio industry, worth about $3.9 billion. Extreme heatseverely damaged the year’s harvest, reducing the fall haul to about 600 to 650 million pounds, down from 1.59 billion pounds in 2025. The coming harvest is expected to rebound, potentially as high as 1.9 billion pounds.

The Wonderful Agency, the company’s in-house ad shop, created the ads, themed “The don’t-hold-back snack.” And they rely on the same comedic beat as last year: Teammates go to absurd lengths to keep from snacking. One restrains himself with resistance bands, and another stuffs his body into a tackle sled, as the very laid-back Allen dispenses snack advice. This year, Allen also tosses in plenty of nonchalant farm references.

The company is even giving away bobbleheads with Allen riding on a tractor. Allen grew up on a family farm near Fresno and is a fourth-generation farmer.

“Plenty of athletes have their faces on products, but how many can say their family actually grows what’s inside the bag?” said Diana Salsa, vice president of marketing, in a campaign announcement. "Josh is not only an MVP on the field, he’s our Wonderful Pistachios’ Most Valuable Partner too, bringing a hometown connection to our brand.”

But don’t let the “Aw shucks” vibe fool you: Allen is cleaning up in the ad business. While he is no match for the ubiquitous Patrick Mahomes, ESPN calls him “a commercial star,” noting endorsements for “Nike, New Era, New Balance, Nationwide and Natrol Sleep, and that's just the part of his portfolio that begins with 'N."

Allen is currently the betting favorite to win this year’s MVP, as he did in 2024; he is also CEO of his own production studio and married to an Academy Award-nominated Marvel superhero actress, Hailee Steinfeld.

The Wonderful effort also includes limited-edition Josh Allen packaging for its flagship 16-ounce Roasted & Salted In-Shell Pistachios and supports the Josh Allen Scholarship for students in Allen’s hometown of Firebaugh, California, and the Central Valley region.