USA – World’s leading processor and marketer of almonds, Blue Diamond Growers has made two strategic key expansions at the cooperative’s facilities in California’s Central Valley almond growing region.
Blue Diamond has announced a 52,000 square foot addition to the existing 200,000 square foot Turlock manufacturing plant that first opened in 2013 and sits on 88 acres.
The project expands Blue Diamond’s value-added almond processing capabilities with an automated factory that features state-of-the art handling, processing and packaging equipment.
The cooperative said that the expansion also provides space for a future manufacturing line to support current business or new innovations.
Blue Diamond is also undertaking a second expansion is the new Bulk 8 Warehouse at the Salida facility that originally opened as an almond receiving station in 1969.
Today the 675,000 square foot facility sits on 44 acres and includes a retail Nut & Gift Shop. Blue Diamond is adding 58,000 square foot bulk storage capacity to the facility, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of May.
According to the company, the extension will provide an additional 50 million pounds of in-house bulk almond storage capacity in time to receive the 2020 almond harvest.
The 65-foot-tall building includes advanced design with an automated gravity fed spiral conveyance system that improves grower delivery efficiency and reduces damage to the almonds.
The California-based agricultural cooperative revealed the infrastructure expansions while commemorating its 110-year anniversary as part of Blue Diamond’s long-range strategic vision.
“It is particularly meaningful for Blue Diamond to be able to commemorate our Founders Day by not only recognizing our humble beginnings 110 years ago, but also celebrating two key growth milestones that help secure our future,” said Mark Jansen, President and CEO for Blue Diamond Growers.
Blue Diamond Growers was founded by a handful of California almond growers on May 6, 1910.
Originally known as the California Almond Growers Exchange, the grower-owned cooperative quickly grew into the world leader in growing, processing and marketing almonds and almond ingredients.
In 1914, the Exchange opened a new receiving and packaging plant in Sacramento, California, that eventually became the largest almond processing plant in the world.
Today, the Sacramento plant sits on 90 acres, covering 33 city blocks and serves at the cooperative’s headquarters.
In 1915, the co-op adopted the symbol of a blue diamond – the finest grade of diamond in the world – to signify its commitment to quality and in 1980, the cooperative’s name was officially changed to Blue Diamond Growers.
California produces 80% of the world’s almond supply and almonds are the state’s largest food export item. Blue Diamond Growers’ 3,000 members account for roughly half of the state’s almond producers.
Blue Diamond markets and sells a wide range of almond-based snacks, beverages, and ingredients, including Blue Diamond Snack Almonds, Nut-Thins crackers, almond flour, and the number one almond milk in the U.S., Almond Breeze.
