The Almond Board of California hopes football legend Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and cricket fans in India can boost sales.

During a presentation Wednesday, the board announced a marketing campaign featuring Sanders that touts the exercise recovery benefits of almonds.

“This would be the biggest celebrity partnership the almond board has ever taken,” said Richard Waycott, board president and CEO.

Sanders, now “Coach Prime,” is entering his first season leading the University of Colorado’s football program.

The “Own Your Prime” campaign launches with national television advertisements on Sept. 2, when the Buffaloes’ season opens.

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An ad campaign in California stores will start simultaneously.

Sanders is a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who was a lockdown cornerback. He also played professional baseball.

Previous almond marketing centered on female consumers, but new advertising is designed to appeal to both men and women, Waycott said.

“Own Your Prime” is based on research from Appalachian State University showing how almonds aid muscle recovery. The study didn’t feature high-level athletes, but instead focused on adults 30-65 who occasionally exercised.

The study, funded by the almond board, found that participants who ate almonds experienced reduced fatigue and tension during muscle recovery, increased leg and lower back strength and decreased muscle damage during the first day of recovery.

A foreign marketing campaign targets the Cricket World Cup and emphasizes how almonds can bring people a boost of energy. The tournament will be played for the first time in 12 years in India, where cricket is the de facto national sport.

India is the board’s biggest foreign market by far, with approximately 400 million pounds of almonds exported, up 250 million pounds from six years ago.

Waycott expects more growth in India.

Television advertisements will air during games, and billboards will be used in major cities.

The Diwali holiday falls on Nov. 12, near the tournament’s conclusion. Gifts are given during the festival and almonds can symbolize joy, prosperity and happiness, Waycott said.

“We’re really excited that our huge promotion will coincide with (Diwali),” Waycott added.

Another campaign, “The Mother of All Snacks,” is for Germany, the board’s fourth largest export market and largest in Europe.

Ads will educate Germans on the benefits of snacking on almonds, a product made by Mother Nature.

Alexi Rodriguez, chairwoman of the ABC Board of Directors, said the advertising campaigns weren’t a “silver bullet” for industry problems.

“It’s a step in the right direction and we’re looking forward to seeing the results,” she added.

In July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted the almond crop to hit 2.6 billion meat pounds. That’s 1% larger than 2022, despite record rainfall and unprecedented stormy conditions that hindered pollination throughout California.

Cool temperatures through early summer hindered maturity of the crop, according to the USDA.

In a July statement, Waycott noted that farmers faced higher production and financing costs.

Like many crops, almonds were hurt by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and inflation, which raised the prices of everything, said Rick Kushman, almond board spokesman.

The pandemic also damaged shipping capacity, leading to an oversupply, and work-from-home meant people weren’t snacking on almonds as much in the office, he added.

Almond growers had difficult conditions in 2022, as well, with frost damage and an ongoing drought. For comparison, the 2021 crop was 2.92 billion meat pounds.

The Almond Board of California was created in 1950 through a federal marketing order. It represents 7,600 growers and nearly 100 handlers.