Blue Diamond opens almond processing facility in California

Blue Diamond Growers, a US-based agricultural co-operative, has opened a new almond processing facility in Turlock, California.

The 200,000ft² facility, which is located on 88 acres of land at N. Washington and Fulkerth roads, will support the significant growth in the company’s global almond ingredients business.

The products from the new facility will be used in cereals, snack bars, yogurt toppings, baked goods and candies.

Blue Diamond stated that the new facility represents almost half of a three-phased capacity enhancement project scheduled to be completed over the next ten years.

The three-phased project will eventually yield a total of about 500,000ft² of building space.

Phase one expansion will cater to the increasing global demand for value-added almond ingredients from food companies across the world, and is expected to create more than 300 jobs.

Blue Diamond president and CEO Mark Jansen said that value-added revenues for Blue Diamond’s Global Ingredients business rose by 69% between 2009-2011 and almonds continue to rank as the leading nut in new food products worldwide.

"Our expanded manufacturing capacity couldn’t come at a more critical time as record demand drives us to process at a faster pace to support our global customers in their growth!" Jansen added.

The company broke ground on phase one of the Turlock facility in April 2012, as part of a plan to expand its value-added product lines.

Blue Diamond Growers, headquartered in Sacramento, California, is a tree nut processing and marketing cooperative, and engages in processing and marketing almonds in the US and internationally.

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Image: The new facility will support the significant growth in the company’s global almond ingredients business. Photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto/Blue Diamond Growers.