WHY OREGON

Where hazelnuts have found a home.

Oregon combines the land, climate, growers, and industry infrastructure that have made it the leading U.S. origin for hazelnuts.

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THE LAND

The right conditions matter.

Hazelnuts have found an unusually well-suited growing environment in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Fertile soils, abundant rainfall, and a temperate climate create conditions that have supported hazelnut cultivation for generations.

It is a landscape shaped not only by the crop, but by the experience of growing it there.

Oregon Department of Agriculture describes the Willamette Valley as having fertile soils rich in volcanic ash, abundant rainfall, and a temperate climate, and identifies it as the core growing environment for Oregon hazelnuts.

THE GROWERS

An industry built by growers.

Oregon’s hazelnut industry is built on a long-standing community of growers. Today, about 1,000 Oregon farm families grow hazelnuts across roughly 93,000 acres — forming the agricultural foundation of an industry that supplies 99% of the U.S. commercial crop.

Oregon’s first commercial hazelnut orchard was planted in 1903. More than a century later, hazelnuts remain deeply connected to the state’s agricultural identity.

Oregon Department of Agriculture identifies 1903 as the year of Oregon’s first hazelnut orchard; the Secretary of State records that hazelnut became Oregon’s official State Nut in 1989.

FROM ORCHARD TO MARKET

A harvest shaped by the land — and by what comes after.

Hazelnuts are allowed to mature and naturally fall from the trees in early autumn. Growers then sweep the nuts into rows, mechanically harvest them, remove debris, and move them through cleaning, drying, and storage before processing.

Orchards

Hazelnuts mature on the tree.

Natural Fall

Mature nuts naturally fall in early autumn.

Mechanical Harvest

Growers sweep and mechanically collect the crop.

Cleaning & Drying

The harvest is cleaned, dried, and stored before processing.

From orchard floor to finished ingredient, the journey begins with how the crop is grown and handled at the source.

A STABLE PLACE TO BUILD FROM

An established industry that keeps investing.

Oregon’s hazelnut industry is established — but it isn’t standing still. Growers, processors, and industry institutions continue to invest in the infrastructure, research, and production capacity needed to support the industry’s next stage.

For buyers, an established origin means more than history — it means an ecosystem built around the crop.

99%

of U.S. commercial hazelnut production

$675K

Business Oregon Strategic Reserve Fund investment

~75%

of Oregon hazelnuts currently processed by Hazelnut Growers of Oregon

OREGON & VIETNAM

Building on an existing trade connection.

Oregon and Vietnam are already developing stronger economic and institutional connections.

In September 2025, the Oregon Legislative Trade Caucus traveled to Vietnam on a trade mission covering Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi. In March 2026, Oregon and Vietnam held a bilateral dialogue in San Francisco focused on strengthening economic, educational, and innovation partnerships.

For businesses looking across the Pacific, the relationship between Oregon and Vietnam is not starting from zero. The institutional and trade connections are already there — creating a practical context for new commercial relationships to develop.

Ready to explore an Oregon origin?

Tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll help you explore the right hazelnut ingredient, format, and supply requirements.

LET'S TALK →

ORIHAZEL USA

15010 NW Oak Hills Drive,
Beaverton, OREGON 97006, USA

[email protected]
+1 503 810 9514 (USA)
+84 984 422 525 (Vietnam)

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