Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Tag: Blue Diamond

  • New Frosted Brownie Almonds for the Holidays

    To kick off the holiday season, Blue Diamond, the world’s leading almond marketer and processor, today announced the launch of a new seasonal flavor: Blue Diamond Frosted Brownie Almonds. A]er exploring over 60 different holiday flavors and experimenting with 11 variations of frosted brownie, Blue Diamond has crafted a unique, festive treat that combines the flavors of rich chocolate and creamy frosting with the signature crunch of almonds creating an irresistible holiday snack.

    “We like to consistently test different flavor innovations, especially around the holidays, to expand our product portfolio based on what we know consumers are craving,” said Maya Erwin, Vice President of Marketing & Innovation at Blue Diamond. “Chocolate and the holidays go hand in hand, so we created Frosted Brownie to lean into this seasonal flavor, allowing snackers to enjoy the rich and creamy indulgence of a brownie, all with the crunch and goodness of an almond.”

    This is the third year Blue Diamond has released limited-edition holiday flavors, following last year’s soaring sales of Blue Diamond’s returning flavor, Snickerdoodle, highlighting the strong consumer demand for seasonal flavor offerings. Returning once again for 2024, consumers can enjoy the delicious cinnamon sugar cookie taste of Blue Diamond Snickerdoodle Almonds that they’ve come to love over the past two years.

    Blue Diamond is known for its unique lineup of craveable flavors such as Ranch, Thin Dipped and Chilé ‘N Lime and will increase its lineup of 20+ flavors with this latest holiday flavor expansion.

    From now through December 2024, holiday fanatics can find these holiday almond flavors in 6oz cans at major retailers nationwide and Amazon.com (MSRP: $4.29). For more information on existing and new products, visit BlueDiamond.com.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Receives Cal/OSHA Recognition for Exceptional Safety

    Blue Diamond Growers, a farmer-owned Cooperative and the world’s leading almond marketer and processor, recently received the “Star Site” designation through Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) at their Salida Facility. The designation recognizes employers who have voluntarily managed outstanding safety and health programs. Only 63 sites within the state, including Blue Diamond, share the “Star Site” title.

    Beginning the formal process in 2023, Blue Diamond underwent the rigorous application to demonstrate exceptional safety at their Salida facility. This included numerous audits, formal interviews and a comprehensive review of their employee-driven program. As with all Star Site designees, the facility showed that their work-related injury and illness rates over the last three years (DART and TCIR) were 90 percent below industry average.

    “Through our partnership with Cal OSHA, we have elevated our safety program from best-in-class to world class,” said Victor Gomez Terres, Blue Diamond Site Director of Salida. “Safety at Blue Diamond is team member-led, and this designation is a culmination of their incredible effort and commitment to keeping themselves and each other safe.”

    Blue Diamond’s Salida facility has received and processed its farmers’ almonds since 1969. Today, it is the largest almond receiving center in the world. With eight warehouses and multiple processing lines, millions of pounds of almonds are either received or shipped out of the facility on any given day. The Cooperative’s ability to bring delicious, healthy products to the world would not be possible without its strong commitment to the health and safety of their 1,600 team members.

    “Blue Diamond’s success as the world’s largest almond company hinges on the safety of our operations and the wellbeing of our team members. I am proud that this milestone achievement validates our commitment to safety culture,” said Jeff Hatfield, SVP of Manufacturing for Blue Diamond.

    Coinciding with October as National Manufacturing Month, the Cooperative will hold a formal celebration and flag raising ceremony to honor team members and their partnership with Cal/OSHA.

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing over 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,600 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.BlueDiamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

  • Blue Diamond Growers 113th “Growing Together” Annual Meeting Highlights a Year of Resilience

    At the 113th Blue Diamond Growers “Growing Together” Annual Meeting on Nov. 15 in Modesto, Blue Diamond Growers’ CEO, Kai Bockmann, reflected on his first ten months in the leadership role by acknowledging significant challenges faced by growers and the world’s largest almond cooperative.

    In Bockmann’s remarks – along with those of Blue Diamond Growers’ Board Chairman, Dan Cummings – both pointed to remarkable headwinds for the almond industry, including higher input costs and inflationary pressures, depressed market prices, shifts in consumer shopping patterns, unfavorable weather conductions, and reduced crop sizes. To help counter these challenges, Blue Diamond Growers is advancing an aggressive strategic growth plan to navigate the marketplace conditions and drive substantial growth.

    “Volatility is our new normal, but our destination is set – and it is one of growth,” said Bockmann. “While this past year brought many challenges for our growers, no challenge is insurmountable. We have a rich history, an exceptional brand, and the right people and culture to deliver against our ambitious growth plan.”

    In laying out the plan, Bockmann shared with the annual meeting audience that what has helped bring the cooperative to where it is today, will not get it to where it is going in terms of growth and market expansion. The new growth plan prioritizes expansion into the massive foodservice channel and strategically selected international markets, while strengthening the value-added business, doubling down on product innovation, and driving for operational efficiencies.

    “Foodservice is a trillion dollar industry that represents a significant growth opportunity for Blue Diamond, and we will directly target that sector as a strategic priority,” said Bockmann. “Additionally, we will diversify and innovate our product portfolio beyond our flagship Blue Diamond Snack Almonds® and Almond Breeze® brands. We will build on the tremendous success of these products – which are both the #1 brands in America for almonds and almondmilk.”

    Bockmann shared that flavor-focused product innovation remains a top priority commenting that “no one does flavor like Blue Diamond” as evidenced by the widely popular Chilé N Lime flavored snack nuts. The flavor was launched as a limited time offer at Costco and won the “Best Nuts” award in PEOPLE Magazine’s 2023 Food Awards.

    The Blue Diamond Research & Development team will continue to innovate with new flavors, while advancing new and existing categories, including plant-based yogurt, chocolate, baking, beverages and plant-based cheese. On the foodservice front, the strategic growth plan focus is already delivering results. The Blue Diamond International Consumer and R&D teams worked closely with Maeil Dairies in the past year to develop Almond Breeze® Barista Blend, which was introduced in 6,500 Starbucks across China earlier this year.

    “I’m confident that Blue Diamond Growers is poised to thrive in the years to come because we are stronger together,” said Bockmann. “We are excited to grow together as we bring our strategic plan and collective vision to life.”

    Supporting Grower Success and Advancing Sustainability

    In addition to tackling the marketplace challenges with strategy, innovation, and expansion, Blue Diamond Growers also concepted and launched a new grower-focused buying coalition. To help connect growers with trusted, well-known suppliers and build local, long-term relationships, the Blue Diamond Growers Connect Marketplace aims to reduce production costs for farmers by negotiating better discounts with suppliers via Group Purchasing Organizations and the co-ops’ own internal platform. The goal of the marketplace is to reduce growers’ costs by 5-15%.

    Additionally, a notable highlight from the year is Blue Diamond Growers’ advancement in sustainability. To continue growing the cooperative’s commitment to stewardship, Blue Diamond’s Member Relations team held several online webinars, including hosting the Almond Board of California Almond Stewardship Platform and the Pollinator Partnership to discuss and educate growers on Bee-Friendly Farming.

    Along with the offered webinars, growers were encouraged to participate in Blue Diamond’s Orchard Stewardship Incentive Program (OSIP), a program where growers can earn financial incentives for implementing best practices related to orchard management, environmental issues, occupational health and safety, and community investment.

    In July of this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded Blue Diamond a five-year, $45 million “Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities” grant, a program designed to help farmers implement “climate-smart” practices on their land. The program offers growers no-cost cover crop seed and a financial incentive to plant cover crops and/or conservation cover on their land. These practices notonly work toward taking carbon out of the atmosphere, but they also enhance orchard biodiversity and improve soil health. The USDA grant complements
    Blue Diamond’s OSIP by lowering the cost of initiating the pollinator-friendly practices required to receive Bee-Friendly Farming certification.

    “Without question it has been a challenging year, but the loyalty and leadership demonstrated by our board – combined with the resilence of our growers and dedication of Blue Diamond employees – will allow us to overcome the challenges together,” said Cummings. “I’m confident Blue Diamond will deliver great prosperity and a sustainable future for our growers, employees, their families, and the communities we call home.”

    Blue Diamond Annual Report Now Available

    In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, the Blue Diamond Growers 2023 “Growing Together” Annual Report is now available on the Blue Diamond website at www.bluediamond.com.

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com.

  • Blue Diamond Growers’ Former CEO Awarded California Cultivator Award

    The Ag Council of California recently celebrated Mark Jansen as the 2023 California Cultivator Award recipient on March 30, 2023, during the association’s 104th Annual Meeting in Monterey.

    Mark Jansen served as president and chief executive officer of Blue Diamond Growers for 12 years and is CEO emeritus. Mark led Blue Diamond in transforming the cooperative into an industry-leading global branded food manufacturer and marketer with his leadership focus on innovation, safety, quality, and strategic growth. With a vision on long-term growth, Mark introduced the capabilities and fostered partnerships around the globe to build the Almond Breeze® portfolio, which is now the world’s leading almondmilk brand.

    Over his tenure, Mark grew revenue by 9.4 percent CAGR and improved profit returns to the co-op’s almond grower-owners by 2,000 percent. In 2021, Mark was honored as one of the Sacramento region’s most admired CEOs.

    Blue Diamond’s Board of Directors Chair Dan Cummings said, “Mark has earned the respect and admiration of our grower-owners with his personable style and engagement in the industry.” Dan added, “His contributions have poised us for future growth and success.”

    Among his accomplishments, Mark served as chair of the California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as well as chair of the organization’s International Forum and chair of its Audit Committee. His service also includes: the Board of Trustees for the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, chair of the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership, and previous vice chair of the Almond Board of California.

    “I have great respect and admiration for Mark as a leader who is passionate about the cooperative values,” California Department of Food & Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross said. “These values are the guiding principles of a successful business, and with Mark’s leadership, Blue Diamond has served its grower members with added value and integrity to be a respected global leader.”

    Ag Council President Emily Rooney said, “We are pleased to honor Mark with this special award. Mark’s leadership and commitment to the betterment of Blue Diamond are unparalleled. We know his efforts will have positive outcomes for the cooperative for many years and thanks to him – as Mark himself would say – ‘the best is yet to come.’”

    As background, the California Cultivator Award recognizes and honors a person who clearly has made significant contributions to agriculture or who has demonstrated leadership and personal commitment beyond the normal expectations of a person serving the farmer-owned business sector.

    Congratulations to Mark Jansen upon being selected to receive this distinctive award.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Gears up for National Almond Day

    National Almond Day is February 16, and Blue Diamond Growers is paying tribute to the tasty, delicious, and healthful nut that is grown with care in the heart of California. 

    To celebrate, there will be a state proclamation declaring February 16 as California Almond Day. Blue Diamond Growers is also offering a one-day-only special of 20% off all products at the Blue Diamond Nut & Gift Shops in Sacramento, Modesto, and Chico, as well as through its online gift store at www.bluediamondstore.com. To add to the in-store festivities, there will also be photo booths with beautiful images of California almonds in bloom – the perfect backdrop for the perfect picture!

    “At Blue Diamond, every day is all about almonds – just as it has been for more than 100 years,” said Alicia Rockwell, Chief Government Affairs Officer, Blue Diamond Growers. “On this special day in mid-February, we are pleased to celebrate with other almond lovers this incredible product that is beloved in California and throughout the world.”

    As the world’s largest almond cooperative, Blue Diamond is an industry leader and a trusted brand enjoyed by people far and wide. In addition to a remarkable range of delicious almond snack nuts and crackers, Almond Breeze® is the number-one almondmilk in the plant-based milk category.

    Here are some fun facts to celebrate National Almond Day – did you know…?

    • California grows nearly 80% of the world’s almonds. California is home to 7,600 almond farms and 90% of those farms are family-owned (according to the Almond Board of California).
    • Blue Diamond’s co-op has more than 3,000 growers.
    • Blue Diamond offers more than 20 flavors of snack almonds – from classic, bold to extreme – in popular flavors like, Smokehouse, Elote, and Carolina Reaper!
    • Almonds are grown all throughout California’s Central Valley. California’s Mediterranean climate makes for perfect almond-growing conditions.

    Blue Diamond Nut & Gift Shops are located at:

    • 1701 C St. Sacramento, California 95811
    • 4800 Sisk Rd. Modesto, California 95356
    • 703 Miller Ave. Chico, California 95928

    To shop online and find Blue Diamond products near you, visit bluediamond.com.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Announces Latest Sustainability Achievements

    Blue Diamond Growers is kicking off 2023 by sharing sustainability accomplishments from the past year. Highlights are included in the cooperative’s first-ever sustainability report, “Growing a Better Tomorrow,” that is available on the Blue Diamond Growers website at www.bluediamond.com/sustainability.

    “We are proud of where we are on our sustainability journey,” said Dr. Dan Sonke, Director of Sustainability, Blue Diamond Growers. “Because we are a cooperative, for 112 years we have enabled family farms to compete in a volatile world. Our almond expertise extends from the orchard to processing facilities and the consumer. And through our stewardship program, we lead the world with more acres of almonds in a sustainability program than any other company.”

    Sonke explains that Blue Diamond Grower sustainability efforts focus on six key pillars, including: sustainable agriculture, water stewardship, biodiversity and pollinators, climate and energy, people, and resilient communities. Key achievements in 2022 alone include:

    • $45 million in funds awarded to Blue Diamond Growers by the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) as part of a climate protection partnership activation that will be used to help growers expand existing implementation of cover crops, conservation plantings and hedgerows, and whole orchard recycling.
    • More than $1.74 million paid directly to growers through the Blue Diamond Growers Orchard Stewardship Incentive Program (OSIP). The OSIP now covers 40% of all Blue Diamond member acres representing more almond acres in a sustainability program than any other company in the world.
    • 95% of Blue Diamond member orchards in the stewardship program report using efficient micro-irrigation systems. That’s nearly two times the rate found in other California crops.
    • 29% of Blue Diamond orchards reported planting cover crops for soil quality and pollinator benefits.
    • 18% reduction of materials going to landfill at the Salida facility through increased recycling.
    • A new project to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the replacement and modernization of a steam boiler system at the Sacramento plant. The project is expected to reduce natural gas consumption by more than 30% and water use by 20%.
    • $140,000 in community grants committed to 14 organizations, along with $25,000 donated in matching funds to contribute to 807 Future Farmers of America (FFA) jackets for high school students.
    • 190,000 lbs. of almonds and almond products – valued at more than $700,000 – provided in product and in-kind donations to food banks and other nonprofit organizations.

    “We are certainly proud of the accomplishments so far, but we know that sustainability – in all its facets – is an ongoing journey,” said Sonke. “We look forward to continual progress in the days, years and generations ahead.”

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting Highlights Record Profitability

    At the 112th Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting held mid-November in Modesto, CA, Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO, Mark Jansen, highlighted the accomplishments of the past year, while recognizing remarkable headwinds the cooperative tackled through creative solutions, strategic partnerships, and world-class innovation.

    “Although 2022 was marked by supply chain disruptions, the ongoing COVID-19 impact, and a continuing drought, we still fulfilled our mission and provided considerable competitive advantage with our grower returns,” said Jansen. “It could not have happened without the dedication of our 3,000 grower-owners or the 1,800 hard-working Blue Diamond team members.”

    Jansen further reported that despite the many challenges of the year, Blue Diamond was able to increase payments by an average of $.20 a pound and deliver a record competitive advantage in grower returns.

    In an additional highlight, he shared that to counter global transportation disruptions, the Blue Diamond Supply Chain Team worked with the Almond Alliance, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California Governor’s Office of Business Development to build a new multi-port export strategy. This included implementing a pop-up yard at the Port of Oakland to stage products closer to the port to reduce wait times at congested terminals. In addition, the Supply Chain Team partnered on the launch of the first inland direct-rail port from Fresno to the Port of Los Angeles. Based on these learnings, the team spearheaded the Almond Express train to carry containers from Oakland to Los Angeles, Long Beach and Norfolk, Virginia. The containers were then offloaded onto terminal docks for guaranteed export to Asia, the Middle East and India.

    “Navigating the global supply chain issues and devising creative solutions – while working alongside our partners – is just one way we remained true to our vision of delivering the benefits of almonds to the world,” said Jansen.

    At the meeting, it was shared that during fiscal year 2022 Blue Diamond was able to:

    • Deliver its share of the California almond industry’s second largest crop of 2.8 billion meat pounds; closely following the record 3.1-billion-pound crop of 2020
    • Develop new value-added uses for almonds through ongoing new product development via the Almond Innovation Center (AIC). As a result, AIC delivered $90 million in innovation revenue and 18.9 million pounds of innovation volume for Blue Diamond.
    • Launch several new Blue Diamond branded consumer products including Extra Creamy Almond Breeze®, Almond & Oat Almond Breeze® (international markets) and new Snack Almonds (Chilé ‘n Lime, Probiotics, Elote, Korean BBQ, and Mash Ups)
    • Sell 83 million pounds of almonds as part of Blue Diamond’s Snack Almond line alone, while remaining the No. 1 almondmilk in the plant-based milk category
    • Achieve 17% volume growth compared to the previous year for Almond Breeze® products in more than 70 countries – via a global network of licensee partners
    • Increase Global Ingredient sales from new customer applications of almond butter, almond flour, and almond protein powder
    • Open new markets in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Bolivia and Argentina, while driving 33% volume growth in Asia

    “Blue Diamond has experienced substantial growth in recent years through thoughtful, smart decisions and actions,” said Dan Cummings, Chairman of the Board, Blue Diamond Growers. “With our focus on innovation, deeply established partnerships, and steadfast commitment to going above and beyond to deliver on consumer and retail demands, I expect this progress to continue well into the future.”

    Blue Diamond Announces Continuing Board Members

    In addition to sharing highlights from the past year, Blue Diamond also announced its continuing board members, including:

    • Dan Cummings, Chairman, District 1, Chico
    • John Monroe, District 2, Arbuckle
    • Dale Van Groningen, District 3, Ripon
    • George A. te Velde, District 4, Ripon/Escalon
    • Steve Van Duyn, Vice Chairman, District 5, Modesto/Ripon
    • Nick Blom, District 6, Turlock
    • Dan Mendenhall, District 7, Winton
    • Matthew Efird, District 8, Fresno
    • Kent Stenderup, District 9, Arvin
    • Joe Huston Director-at-Large, Monterey
    • Kristin Daley Director-at-Large, San Francisco
    Blue Diamond Annual and Sustainability Reports Now Available

    In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, Blue Diamond Growers is also releasing its “Partnering for a Sustainable Future” Annual Report and inaugural “Growing a Better Tomorrow” Sustainability Report. Both reports are available on the Blue Diamond website at www.bluediamond.com.

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops.

  • Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO Announces Plans to Step Down

    Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO, Mark Jansen, today announced that he intends to step down from the role he has held with the agricultural cooperative and global consumer packaged goods leader since September 2010. Jansen has decided to step away after a successful 12-year tenure as CEO because he believes the organization is well-positioned for future growth and the timing is right for him to make the change.

    “Together, we have been fortunate to accomplish what we committed to do – and more,” said Jansen. “Helping the great people of Blue Diamond thrive has been an honor and privilege.”

    Specific Blue Diamond Grower achievements under Jansen’s leadership include:

    • Opening a new 200-million-pound manufacturing facility in Turlock, Calif.
    • Expanding into five innovative new almond product categories
    • Creating a global network of licensee partners for Almond Breeze® that enabled it to grow into the largest almond milk brand in the world
    • Driving dynamic growth of the flavored snack nuts category that has earned 50% market share in the United States and global distribution in more than 60 countries
    • Achieving double-digit compounded annual growth of Blue Diamond’s branded business

    “Mark promised us 10 years and gave us 12, and we greatly appreciate his significant contributions to all the stakeholders of Blue Diamond,” said Dan Cummings, Chairman of the Board, Blue Diamond Growers. “Under Mark’s leadership, Blue Diamond has transformed into a leading $1.6 billion global branded business and one of the most consistent and fastest-growing food and beverage companies in the world. He has built an incredibly strong and experienced executive team that has delivered healthy year-over-year revenue growth resulting in increasingly superior returns to our grower-owners.”

    According to Cummings, the co-op’s Board of Directors has established a CEO Succession Committee and is working with executive search and leadership advisory firm, Egon Zehnder, on a nationwide search, open to both internal and external candidates.

    “Blue Diamond is a growth company by choice, driven in large part by a complete dedication to a single ‘good for you’ product, vertical integration, extensive partnerships, and a continual investment in marketing and innovation,” Cummings said. “This is a phenomenal leadership opportunity for the right executive who shares our strong values and commitment to our loyal growers, employees, and customers.”

    Jansen affirmed he is committed to supporting the search for a successor and plans to stay on until a new CEO has been selected and begins working to help ensure business continuity and a smooth leadership transition.

    “The Blue Diamond Growers co-op knows how to get almonds from growers’ farms to families worldwide better than anyone,” said Jansen. “We’re growing with an accelerated focus on sustainability and a continued commitment to giving back to the stakeholders we serve.  As it was for me, this will be a great opportunity for the next CEO, and I look forward to supporting our Board, growers, and work family throughout this transition.”

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Host Annual Meeting, Announce Chairman’s Ambassador Award Recipient

    With a theme of “Rising to the Challenge,” the 111th Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting highlighted the remarkable people that help power California’s largest almond cooperative.

    In a virtual presentation to Blue Diamond almond growers on November 17, Mark Jansen, President and CEO, Blue Diamond Growers, and Dan Cummings, Blue Diamond Growers Board Chairman and Director, District 1, provided business updates and acknowledged key milestones for the cooperative. Three board members either new to the board or recently re-elected to continue service were also announced, including:

    • Dan Cummings, Director, District 1, Chico, CA
    • George A. te Velde, Director, District 4, Escalon, CA
    • Nick Blom, Director, District 6, Modesto, CA


    Following the meeting, Cummings was selected to continue his role as Board Chair and board member Steve Van Duyn, District 5, Modesto, CA, was named Vice Chair for the board. Additionally, in August, Kristen Daley of San Francisco, CA, was named as a new Director-At-Large, completing the 11-person board. “The exceptional leadership and dedication of our board is invaluable in guiding Blue Diamond Growers toward a continued successful future,” said Jansen. “I’m grateful for each of them and the wisdom and perspectives they bring to the co-op, along with their willingness to invest their time and talents to help address challenges and embrace opportunities.”

    Retiring board members Charles Crivelli III, District 6, Turlock, CA, and Kevin Fondse, District 4, Ripon/Escalon, CA were also recognized as part the annual meeting program.

    During his presentation, Cummings announced Christine Gemperle District 6, as the 2021 Chairman’s Grower Ambassador of the Year. A self-described “science nerd,” Gemperle, and her brother farm 135 acres of almonds in Ceres, CA. She is dedicated to sustainable almond production and focuses extensively on water savings, orchard weed control, integrated pest management, soil health and more.

    “Christine is a remarkable ambassador for Blue Diamond Growers and the California almond industry as a whole,” said Cummings. “Each day, she practices what she preaches in terms of hands-on, ‘real-world’ sustainability, and she also helps to educate countless consumers about what the almond industry is doing to produce a wholesome, sustainable crop for all to enjoy – generation after generation.”

    Further illustrating Blue Diamond Growers’ unwavering commitment to sustainability, Cummings announced that in 2021 alone, one-third of Blue Diamond almond growers achieved the gold level of the California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP) rigorous assessment initiative, while another two-thirds accomplished either the silver or bronze CASP achievement level.

    In his meeting remarks, Jansen acknowledged numerous challenges facing California agriculture and Blue Diamond almond growers, including the drought, supply chain disruptions, ongoing pandemic impacts, rising input costs, labor shortages, inflation and more.

    “Even with the remarkable headwinds that we face, we are capable of extraordinary success and rising to the challenges,” said Jansen. “We are resilient and were able to exceed targeted grower returns in 2021 – thanks to the perseverance of the growers themselves and the strength of the Blue Diamond Growers team. I truly believe the best is yet to come.”

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing over 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Earns Second Green Business Certification in Turlock

    Following a comprehensive certification process, the Blue Diamond Growers plant in Turlock, Calif., has earned distinction by becoming Green Business Certified by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s California Green Business Network, Stanislaus County program.

    The achievement marks the second such honor for the 111-year-old almond cooperative this year as the Blue Diamond Growers’ Salida facility was recognized as Green Business Certified in April. The Green Business Certified honor goes to companies that achieve a verified set of standards, including reducing water use, conserving energy, preventing pollution, increasing recycling, avoiding waste, encouraging alternative transportation, and partnering with other local vendors.

    “Blue Diamond Growers has a long-standing commitment to implementing sustainable practices across all of our facilities and in our almond orchards, too,” said Mark Jansen, president and CEO of Blue Diamond Growers. “This recognition further demonstrates that we are committed to doing our part to build a healthier and more sustainable future for our local communities through adopting new technologies and practices that improve our sustainability efforts. We are proud to have not one, but two facilities to have earned this honor and important recognition.”

    The Green Business Certified recognition was awarded at a ceremony on June 3, organized by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce at the Turlock facility on Washington. The ceremony was attended by Blue Diamond leadership as well as Congressman Josh Harder, Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak, and several other state and local dignitaries.

    The 250,000-square-foot plant located at 1300 N. Washington Road in Turlock is celebrating its eighth anniversary this month and is currently under the direction of Site Leader Zach Lewis. In 2014, the facility was named “Plant of the Year” by Food Engineering Magazine. The state-of-the-art Turlock plant specializes in processing almonds (blanching, roasting, slicing, dicing, slivering, etc.) to be used by major global food customers in cereals, snack bars, yogurt toppings, baked goods and candies. The Turlock location also prepares the beverage base for Blue Diamond Growers’ Almond Breeze® Almondmilk and produces Blue Diamond Growers’ Almond Flour and other value-added almond products.

    In addition to the sustainability efforts at the Blue Diamond Growers’ manufacturing facilities, the co-op emphasizes sustainable field practices, including irrigation management, pest management, and bee health. Blue Diamond Growers actively participates in the California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP), led by the Almond Board of California, to collect grower-submitted production practice information. CASP helps growers find ways to improve the efficiency of their farming operations.

    To further underscore its ongoing commitment to improved sustainability, Blue Diamond Growers recently hired Dr. Daniel Sonke, who spoke at today’s event, as the new Director of Sustainability. In this role, Dr. Sonke is leading global sustainability efforts across all segments of the Blue Diamond Growers’ business. He will be responsible for integrating company performance with Blue Diamond Growers’ sustainability pillars of economic viability, environmental stewardship, and community well-being.

    About Blue Diamond

    Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing over 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook,Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.