On-site Technical Visit on Nuts & Dried Fruits
Ready to explore the fascinating world of nuts and dried fruits like never before? Join us for an immersive On-Site Technical Visit, designed to provide a deep dive into every aspect of the supply chain. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an enthusiastic learner, this tailored experience offers cutting-edge insights, hands-on knowledge, and a glimpse into the latest innovations shaping this vibrant industry.
Open to participants of the 2026 INC Congress and Academia Alumni, it is a not-to-be-missed experience! Please note that all participants MUST be INC members. Â
Don’t miss the early-bird rate, ending February 15.
Open to participants of the 2025 INC Congress and Academia Alumni, it is a not-to-be-missed experience! Please note that all participants MUST be INC members. Â
Tailored to the seasoned or prospective manager, students will complete the 11 courses, written by top experts and learn the business side of the nut and dried fruit industry. This program includes an optional on-site course.
online courses
01 Retail Packing and Allergen Management
02 Contaminant Detection and Allergen Management
03 International Market Opportunities
04 Cross-cultural Negotiations
05 Risk and Insurance
06 Maritime Logistics
07 International Commercial Terms
08 INC Contract
09 Payment Terms
10 Arbitration Rules
11 Holistic Approach to Sustainability
Tailored to the seasoned or prospective manager, students will complete the 11 courses, written by top experts
and learn the business side of the nut and dried fruit industry.
From May 9 to 11
3 days of experience
Program given in English
Official Certification by the INC
On-site Course
INC Members can learn with hands-on projects and materials
Details of the Program
Gain an invaluable experience by networking with like-minded peers and learn top experts with our hands-on case studies! But remember, you must have completed all the online courses in the Advanced Program on Nuts & Dried Fruits to attend the on-site course. The on-site course consists of a 4-day expansive experience with insightful visits. This part of the INC Academia is exclusively for INC Members.
On-site Technical Visit
Enhance your INC Congress experience by joining the industry’s premier hands-on learning experience in China.
Details of the Program
The 2026 INC On-site Technical Visit provides an exceptional opportunity to gain firsthand insights into China’s rapidly evolving nut and snack industry. Participants will experience immersive interactions with leading companies ChaCha Foods and Three Squirrels, recognized for their pioneering approaches to product development, supply chain efficiency, and consumer engagement. Beyond observing operational excellence, attendees will explore how these entities integrate advanced technologies, sustainability practices, and market-driven strategies to maintain leadership in a competitive global landscape.
On-site Technical Visit Preliminary PROGRAM
View the preliminary program for the on-site technical visitÂ
May 9, China
Visit to ChaCha Headquarters in Hefei
Round table chat
Lunch
TransferÂ
Visit ChaCha Pecan Farm
Transfer to Chu’zhou
Visit ChaCha Food Nuts Factory
DinnerÂ
Transfer to Wuhu
Overnight in Wuhu
May 10, China
Visit to Three Squirrels Headquarters and theme park in Wuhu
LunchÂ
Visit to Three Squirrels Factory
Round table chat
Transfer to Nanjing
DinnerÂ
Overnight in Nanjing
May 11, Hong Kong
Transfer to Nanjing Lukou Airport
Flight to Hong Kong
Visit to the Port of Hong Kong
Lunch, End of the course
May 12, Macao
Networking session with alumni
Presentation of certificates for 2026 students
May 4, Portugal
Registration and welcome (Lisbon)
Transfer Lisbon airport hotel-De Prado
De Prado Almonds, almonds, orchard, and processing plant
Lunch at De Prado
Transfer De Prado-Cáceres
Check in at a hotel in Cáceres
Welcome cocktail and Dinner
Overnight in Cáceres
May 5, Spain
Transfers to site visits
Nuevos Cultivos Agrarios, pistachios, processing plant
Lunch at Nuevos CultivosÂ
Transfer to orchard, El Carpio de TajoÂ
Nuevos Cultivos Agrarios, pistachios, orchard
Transfer to Albacete
Checking in at a hotel in Albacete
Own dinner arrangements
Overnight in Albacete
May 6, Spain
Transfer Albacete-MutxamelÂ
Calconut, nuts & dried fruits, factory
Lunch at Calconut
Transfer Mutxamel-Valencia
Check in at a hotel in Valencia
Own dinner arrangements
Overnight in Valencia
May 7, Spain
Transfer to site visit
Lunch
End of course
May 8, Palma de Mallorca
Networking session with alumni
Presentation of certificates for 2025 students
The On-site Technical Visit is open to participants of the 2026 INC Congress and Academia Alumni. All participants MUST be INC members. The fee covers networking sessions, site visits with transportation, lunches, refreshments, one evening dinner, course materials, accommodation, and a certificate of attendance. Transport to/from the event is not included. Three nights of accommodation in China are included.
Please note that participating companies reserve the right to deny admission to any individual to protect their business interests.
On-site Technical Visit
ChaCha Food
Manufacturing and processing plantÂ
Founded in 2001, ChaCha is a leading Chinese nut snack manufacturer with a 25-year legacy of quality. Generating over $10 billion annually, it pioneered roasted sunflower seeds, selling over 20 billion units and leading the category for two decades. It has expanded its portfolio to include innovative offerings such as nuts, potato crackers, fruit juice jelly, and other snack foods.
ChaCha holds 289 patents, contributes to 49+ national standards, and leads in freshness technology, with products sold in 1 million Chinese outlets and over 50 countries. Its vertically integrated supply chain spans dedicated farms and 10 high-tech, BRC Class A factories with CNAS-certified labs. In 2017, it received China’s National Science & Technology Progress Award.
Founded in 2001, ChaCha is a leading Chinese manufacturer of nut snacks with a ​​25-year heritage​​ of producing premium products. ​​The company currently generates​​ over $10 billion in annual revenue. ChaCha pioneered the industry with its signature roasted sunflower seeds – ​​the category leader​​ for 20 consecutive years ​​and exceeding​​ 20 billion units sold. ​​It has expanded its portfolio to include innovative offerings such as​​ nuts, ​​potato crackers, fruit juice jelly​​, and other snack foods.
ChaCha maintains technological leadership through ​​its​​ proprietary freshness preservation systems, holding 289 patents and participating in ​​over 49​​ national standard developments. Its vertically integrated global supply chain encompasses dedicated farms and 10 advanced factories featuring BRC Class A certified production and CNAS-accredited laboratories.
With distribution​​ through 1 million domestic outlets and ​​exports to​​ over 50 countries, ChaCha is the sole mainland Chinese corporate ​​director​​ on the International Nut & Dried Fruit Council. ​​Its accolades include​​ China’s National Science & Technology Progress Award (2017), underscoring its vision to lead the global nut snack market ​​and deliver tasty, high-quality nuts that create happy moments for consumers worldwide.
Three Squirrels
Manufacturing and processing plantÂ
Three Squirrels Inc., founded in 2012, is a leading agricultural industrialization enterprise and a publicly listed company (Stock code: 300783). It integrates food R&D, intelligent manufacturing, brand operations, and omni-channel sales. Serving over 170 million consumers globally, the company sources high-quality nuts from regions like Australia, Chile, and Vietnam, while promoting rural revitalization in China. It operates smart factories, collaborates with Fortune 500 firms, and drives sales through a short video–based omni-channel strategy.
With over 60 billion RMB in cumulative sales and strong 2024 growth, Three Squirrels aims to reach 20 billion RMB in revenue by expanding digital distribution, innovating its supply chain, and developing new consumer-focused brands.
De Prado Almonds
orchard and processing plantÂ
De Prado Almonds is a fifth-generation family-owned business that is committed to providing high-quality, healthy, sustainable food internationally, while maintaining a harmonious balance between traditional values and technological innovation. The company’s almond production is located mainly in southern Portugal and Spain…
NOGAM
processing plantÂ
Welcome to NOGAM —where excellence in walnut production meets cutting-edge processing. Nestled in Portugal’s rich agricultural landscape, NOGAM is dedicated to producing premium-quality walnuts through sustainable farming and advanced processing techniques. At our state-of-the-art facility, efficiency and precision are at the heart of our operations…
Iberian Smart Financial Agro (ISFA)
processing plantÂ
Iberian Smart Financial Agro (ISFA) is an agricultural management company dedicated to the development of sustainable and efficient projects. With more than 5,000 hectares of orchards planted in Spain and Portugal, ISFA is one of the largest almond producers in the Iberian Peninsula…
Nuevos Cultivos Agrarios
orchard and processing plantÂ
Nuevos Cultivos Agrarios is a Spanish agricultural enterprise that prides itself on innovation. The company provides a comprehensive service to pistachio growers, picking up raw pistachios from the farm on the day of the harvest. The pistachios are processed at the company’s state-of-the-art processing facilities in Extremadura and Castilla–La Mancha…
Calconut
FACTORY
Calconut is a global leader in the import, export, and distribution of nuts and dried fruits, driven by advanced technology in trading, processing, and retail. Specializing in almonds from Californian, Australian, and Spanish origins, Calconut uses supported AI technology for full product traceability, ensuring transparency and safety throughout the supply chain…
PORT OF VALENCIA
PORT
The Port of Valencia is Spain’s leading Mediterranean port in terms of commercial traffic, mostly containerized cargo. More than 100 regular shipping lines, including the world’s largest shipping companies, operate in Valencia. As the closest commercial port to the Suez-Gibraltar axis (the main route for interoceanic shipping lines), Valencia i…
Port of Felixstowe
UK’s busiest container port
Attendees will have the unique chance to visit the Port of Felixstowe, the United Kingdom’s busiest container port, dealing with 48% of Britain’s containerised trade.
Bühler
multinational plant equipment manufacturer
Billions of people come into contact with Bühler technologies to cover their basic needs for food and mobility every day. During your visit to the Bühler office in London, you will experience the science of nut optical sorting which started back in 1947…
LDH (La Doria)
distribution center
With over 60 years’ experience supplying the major UK supermarkets with products British shoppers love, LDH is recognised as the leading Own Label supplier of a wide range of ambient foods, sourced from every corner of the world…
Chelmer Foods
distribution center
Established in 1992, Chelmer Foods is a family owned & run company that sources dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and pulses from over 25 countries worldwide. Supplying into cereal manufacturers, bakeries, snack food packers / processors…
Supermarket
UK’s top Supermarket chains
Plus, with the UK being one of the most important countries for nut and dried fruit consumption, the trip will also include a visit to some of the UK’s most important supermarket chains to see how the products are marketed to Britain’s consumers.
LECTURE
international negotiation skills
Kandarp Mehta, Prof. Negotiation and Entrepreneurship, Senior Lecturer, IESE Business School
Last but definitely not least, attendees will also take part in a lecture on international negotiation skills led by Prof. Kandarp Mehta, from the award-winning IESE Business School. The lecture will encourage active participation to give attendees the opportunity to engage with the lecturer for an interactive learning experience.
STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP
Miquel Lladó, Prof. Strategic Management & Leadership, Senior Lecturer, IESE Business School
Miquel Lladó is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Strategic Management of the IESE Business School and visiting professor in other Business Schools in Europe and the United States. He holds an Advanced Degree in Economics and Business from the University of Barcelona.
international negotiation skills
Kandarp Mehta, Prof. Negotiation and Entrepreneurship, Senior Lecturer, IESE Business School
Kandarp Mehta is a senior lecturer in the Entrepreneurship Department and the Negotiation Unit at IESE Business School, Barcelona. He is a PhD from IESE Business School, Barcelona and is a recipient of DRRC advisory fellowship from Kellogg School of Management.
On-site Schedule
View the preliminary program for the onsite course
Sat, May 7, Italy
Registration
Visits to orchards (walnuts):Â
Maurizio Cervone
Lunch
Visits to orchards
(hazelnuts):Â
TeanoÂ
Welcome cocktailÂ
& dinner
Sun, May 8, Italy
Case Studies:
Strategy and Leadership. Prof. Miquel Lladó, IESE Business School
Lunch
Case Studies:
Negotiation. Prof. Kandarp Mehta, IESE Business School
Mon, May 9, Italy
Visit toÂ
processing plant:Â
Italiana Confetti
Lunch
Visit toÂ
processing plant:Â
Besana Group
Wed, May 11, Dubai
Optional visit and tour of the Port of Jebel Ali, Dubai
Fri, May 13, Dubai
Certificate presentation & cocktail reception for alumni, Dubai
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