Blue Diamond Begins Phase 1 of 15-Year Expansion Project

TURLOCK, Calif.Blue Diamond Growers today broke ground on the first part of a three-phased 15-year capacity expansion strategy that includes upgrades at facilities in Sacramento and Salida, Calif. The overall project will yield approximately 500,000 square feet of building space on 88 acres. Phase one includes a new plant that will provide about 200,000 square feet of building space for manufacturing and delivering new almond products worldwide.

Blue Diamond made its last major investment in 1968 in its Salida Plant. At that time, California was producing 140 million pounds of almonds; this years crop is predicted to yield more than 2 billion pounds.

"We have kept pace with upgrading new technologies in our plant operations over the last 44 years, but today we are celebrating the largest single investment in the 102 years of the almond industry's existence. In fact, this year we will also complete a state of the art Research and Development complex at our headquarters in Sacramento," said Mark Jansen, Blue Diamond President and CEO.

Blue Diamond Chairman Clinton Shick of McFarland, added, "This celebration is really a continuation of the incremental steps we've taken in past years and those we will take over the next 100 years to continue to be the world almond leader. I would like to thank our growers for entrusting their almonds to us to make this investment. It will reap the largest incremental returns to almond growers who seek a secure future in the almond business."