How much did Blue Diamond almond cooperative make this year?
Blue Diamond Growers, the world’s largest almond producer, reported $1.57 billion in sales at its 109th annual meeting Wednesday in Modesto.
The figure for the fiscal year ending Aug. 30, 2019, was little changed from the previous year. Leaders noted the success of products such as Almond Breeze milk and Nut-Thins crackers, along with challenges with tariffs.
Blue Diamond has grown to about 1,700 employees at its Sacramento headquarters and plants in Salida and Turlock.
“We have every right to be proud of our accomplishments,” board Chairman Dan Cummings told several hundred people at Modesto Centre Plaza. “As proud Blue Diamond Growers, we have built a solid reputation for delivering the benefits of almonds to the world.”
The company ships most of its almonds to makers of candy, cereal, baked goods, energy bars and many other products. It also markets snack nuts and other goods under the Blue Diamond brand.
The year-to-year change in sales was slight: $1,565,743,000 in the latest fiscal year, compared with $1,567,397,000 the year before. Both were up from the $1.48 billion in the year ending in August 2017.
The latest fiscal year featured the addition of dry-roasting and almond-flour lines at the Salida plant. It had done just basic processing since opening in 1968.
Blue Diamond also broke ground on a Turlock expansion that will add production of almond milk, along with a product yet to be announced. This plant opened in 2013 and does slicing, dicing, blanching and flour.
Not all was bright: The state’s almond producers have faced increased tariffs by China and India, two key markets, amid President Donald Trump’s trade battles.
And Blue Diamond had a May 13 fire at its Sacramento plant that reduced part of the production. It was restored by September, said President and CEO Mark Jansen at the annual meeting.
Blue Diamond started in 1910 and now has about 3,000 grower-members.
