Varieties of Hazelnuts
In Oregon's lush Willamette Valley, as many as eight varieties of hazelnuts are commercially grown, however, the Barcelona variety makes up the majority of sweet, buttery, crunchy kernels sold as bakery, candy and ice cream ingredients. In the fall, Americans typically purchase hazelnuts in the shell for snacking, a habit left over from a time when families gathered around the fireplace for holidays and cracked nuts to eat in their raw or natural form. Unshelled Oregon hazelnuts will stay fresh up to one year, but oven toasting brings out the flavor and aroma, much desired by culinarians. The Ennis variety of hazelnut is the largest Oregon nut grown, primarily for export.

In Turkey, there are three main varieties of hazelnuts: 1) Ordu, 2) Akcacoga and 3) Giresun. These varieties are further classified as either Levant quality (which includes Ordu and Akcacoga) or Giresun quality (which is named after the region in which it is grown). Giresun quality hazelnuts have a high oil content, 62%, which make them very flavorful and ideal for blanching. These premium quality nuts are preferred for confectionery goods like chocolate bars, truffles and chocolate-covered hazelnuts. But, the largest percentage of Turkish hazelnuts are Levant quality, with an oil content of 55%. Levant nuts are widely used as an ingredient in confectioneries, bakery goods, ice cream and mixed nuts.

"Findik," the Turkish work for hazelnuts, are so popular in Turkey, they are the official in-flight snack on Turkish Airlines.

Consumption
Worldwide, hazelnuts are among the most consumed nuts, in the same league as almonds and cashews. According to the Hazelnut Council, a trade group that represents hazelnut growers in Turkey, importers in the United States and the Oregon hazelnut industry,production of hazelnuts is increasing annually. The combined dry weight harvest for 1999 (weight before cracking) was estimated at 678,000 tons.

Although consumption is increasing in the United States, the vast majority of hazelnuts are sold to European Union countries. Germany is the leading importer of Turkish hazelnuts, using them as a prized ingredient in the confectionery business of producing chocolate candies and snacks.

Hazelnut Processing
The majority of all harvested hazelnuts are cracked and sold as kernels. This is the point where heritage and tradition are replaced by modern technologies. Hazelnut processing plants on both continents are modern facilities equipped with the latest in food processing advances including laser sorters, strict climate control and in-house laboratories.