Blue Diamond Growers, the world's leading almond company, held its 114th Annual Meeting on November 20 in Modesto, California. President and Chief Executive Officer Kai Bockmann highlighted the farmer-owned cooperative's successes over the last year and the progress made against its strategic growth plan. Blue Diamond Grower Bill Brush of Modesto received the Chairman's Grower Ambassador of the Year Award, presented by Blue Diamond Chairman Steve Van Duyn—also of Modesto.
“What drives us every day is to deliver the highest return for your almonds,” said Bockmann. “Our ability to adapt swiftly to changing market conditions, paired with our strategic planning and forward-thinking approach, enabled us to navigate through difficult circumstances and see positive returns from our strategic plan.”
With nearly 1,000 farmer-owners in attendance, Bockmann and Van Duyn reflected on the year, noting that despite continued challenges facing the industry, Blue Diamond achieved great successes against its strategic plan to deliver a competitive return to its growers, a press release added.
“This year, amidst the challenges, Blue Diamond has fought for its members by tapping into every opportunity to strengthen our portfolio and increase demand for our almonds,” said Van Duyn. “I am confident that through the excellent leadership of our Board of Directors and the Blue Diamond team good times are ahead.”
Alongside several company executives—Carmen Bourgaize, Chief Commercial Officer, Tony Laurenzana Senior Vice President, Ingredients and Branded International Sales, Steve Schult, Vice President, Supply Chain, and Mel Machado, Vice President, Member Relations—Bockmann shared how the Cooperative is strengthening its core business while creating new opportunities for growth by expanding its international footprint and product portfolio.
Over the last year, Blue Diamond drove strategic investments in key international markets including Canada, Mexico, Japan, Europe, and the Middle East. A new partnership with Japanese company, Kagome®, is set to position Japan to be a top international market for Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze® almondmilk. The Cooperative successfully launched their large format for club stores in Mexico and established a new distributor in the Middle East, catering to markets across the region. In Europe, new flavored almonds are being introduced, offering customers additional flavors and forms.
To continue reading about Blue Diamond’s growth strategies, click here for the full release.
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