As a trailblazer in the almond industry, Blue Diamond Growers has helped make almonds California’s largest food export, the sixth-largest U.S. food export and the number one specialty crop in America.  

Headquartered in Sacramento, California, Blue Diamond Growers is the world’s largest almond processing and marketing company. Founded in 1910, the cooperative is owned by half of the state’s almond growers, who produce over 80 percent of the world’s almond supply. The California almond crop is marketed to all 50 states and more than 90 foreign countries.

Industry Trailblazers

Blue Diamond led the development of California’s almond industry from a minor domestic specialty crop to the world leader in almond production and marketing. As a trailblazer in the almond industry, it has helped to make almonds California’s largest food export, the sixth-largest U.S. food export, and a leading specialty crop in America.  

Constantly Innovating

Much of that success can be credited to Blue Diamond, which was the first grower-owned cooperative for marketing almonds. It was also the first to develop and build a commercial sheller, size grader, and continuous blanching line for almonds; the first to adopt electronic sorting machines; and the first to design and build commercial splitting, slivering and dicing machines for almonds. “Every major innovation in almonds has come from Blue Diamond,” says Blue Diamond President and CEO Mark Jansen.

Increasing Opportunities

Blue Diamond continues to build markets and create new products, new uses, and new opportunities for global consumers. In 2013, the company doubled its capacity by opening the first phase of a new plant in Turlock, California, designed to create more value-added global products using state-of-the-art technology. It has also expanded its research and development capabilities with the Almond Innovation Center, a one-of-a-kind facility dedicated to new almond products. 

Blue Diamond Growers are proud customers of CoBank.