With cigarette sales on the decline, farmers in Virginia are opting to switch their staple crop to chickpeas, a primary ingredient in protein rich snack hummus.
Americans are eating a lot more hummus, Today reporting that they raked in $530 million last year. Sabra Dipping Company, a top seller of the dip, wants to make sure bad weather or a low crop yield don't disrupt their sales.
As a result, the company seeks to expand their crop to Virginia, reducing their reliance on the current US growing region, the Northwest.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Sabra, a joint venture between PepsiCo Inc. and Israel's Strauss Group Ltd., also seeks to develop new strains of chickpeas for their spreads.
Plus, Sabra's plant is located near Richmond, Virginia, meaning the move in suppliers would save shipping costs. The only significant obstacle is Virginia's humid summers that could threaten the crops.
Hummus has long been a staple of Middle Eastern culture, but has only gained wide recognition in the US over the past several years. Sales have increased by 25% since just 2010.
The increasing popularity has driven up the cost of chickpeas, giving incentive to Virginia farmers to begin cultivating the crop.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
