Blue Diamond Growers, the world’s largest almond processing and marketing company, is on schedule for completion of phase one of its new plant in Turlock. Located at N. Washington and Fulkerth Roads, the phase one plant will expand over the next 15 years.
“We began construction in April on the 88-acre plot and held a groundbreaking ceremony April 12,” Cassie Keyse, Communications Manager and Editor at Almond Facts Magazine said. “We are on schedule for phase one of the plant to open in May 2013.”
Expansion will take place in three phases over the next 15 years, allowing the plant to approximately double in squarespace from the first to third phase. In phase one, the plant will accept almonds from local growers for blanching and cutting for the company’s global ingredient clients. Products of phase one will be packaged in large quantities; in 25 and 50 pound boxes, or in 2,000 pound totes to be shipped worldwide.
Blue Diamond plans to hire up to 100 employees by May 2013, including around 11 administrative and management positions. Stanislaus Economic Development and Workforce Alliance is aiding the company in assembling a production team highly qualified in technical proficiency in food processing.
“Turlock was selected because of its ideal location in the heart of almond-growing country,” Keyse said. “The Turlock City Council demonstrated great leadership by dedicating the resources necessary to provide the required infrastructure.”
Blue Diamond has worked to keeping the construction of the plant a local affair. Contractors of the project are based out of Sacramento and Fresno, with employees from nearby cities including Turlock and Modesto.
The 102-year-old cooperative, headquartered in Sacramento, boasts its global lead in almond processing on the company website. Half of the state’s almond growers cooperatively own the plan, who produce over 80 percent of the world almond supply.
“There’s no doubt that Blue Diamond will bring numerous benefits to the Turlock community, including jobs,” said Blue Diamond President and CEO Mark Jansen.
“In our continuing efforts to deliver the benefits of almonds to the world, this project will allow us to expand our value-added product lines. It will seal our promise to be THE global almond ingredients and consumer retail market leader so that we can continue to create the healthiest almond products in the world!”
As a Chairman of the Board and an almond grower himself, Clinton Shick of Kern County has been a member of Blue Diamond since 1973.
“Probably by numbers the bulk, a larger percentage of our growers, are from Stanislaus County area: Salida, Modesto, Turlock, Atwater,” Shick said. “That is traditionally the heart of the almond-growing region if you go back.”
“Blue Diamond is really happy that Turlock’s been a wonderful part in welcoming us in. We needed to expand somewhere, we looked at a lot of places. Turlock’s been a wonderful partner in helping us achieve our goals, and at the same time, I’m sure it’s helping the city of Turlock achieve their goals. It’s a win-win thing.”