Blue Diamond Growers, which has opened a 6,500-square-foot Almond Innovation Center, was honored March 14 by the Sacramento Area Commerce & Trade Organization.
The expansion to the Sacramento headquarters of Blue Diamond — a cooperative representing more than half of California’s almond growers — is aimed at increasing sales of new products fivefold in five years.
“The new facility will be a showcase for initiating new almond product concepts for our consumer business and for the most innovative global food companies,” Mark Jansen, president and chief executive officer, said in a news release.
The Sacramento trade group gave Blue Diamond its Powering Innovation Capstone Award at a March 14 luncheon.
In three years Blue Diamond’s revenues have doubled to more than $1 billion, the company reports. Jansen attributes the growth to development of new uses for almonds.
New snack products launched earlier this year include roasted almonds with the flavors of coffee, mocha, caramel macchiato, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry.
The state’s 2-billion pound almond crop is valued at $6 billion. More than 80% of world supply is grown in California, according to Blue Diamond.
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