Out-going CEO, Mark Jansen, Conveys to Membership that the Co-op Strategy, Talent, and Financials Never Stronger
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 112th Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting held yesterday in Modesto, CA, Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO, Mark Jansen, highlighted the accomplishments of the past year, while recognizing remarkable headwinds the cooperative tackled through creative solutions, strategic partnerships, and world-class innovation.
"Although 2022 was marked by supply chain disruptions, the ongoing COVID-19 impact, and a continuing drought, we still fulfilled our mission and provided considerable competitive advantage with our grower returns," said Jansen. "It could not have happened without the dedication of our 3,000 grower-owners or the 1,800 hard-working Blue Diamond team members."
Jansen further reported that despite the many challenges of the year, Blue Diamond was able to increase payments by an average of $.20 a pound and deliver a record competitive advantage in grower returns.
In an additional highlight, he shared that to counter global transportation disruptions, the Blue Diamond Supply Chain Team worked with the Almond Alliance, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California Governor's Office of Business Development to build a new multi-port export strategy. This included implementing a pop-up yard at the Port of Oakland to stage products closer to the port to reduce wait times at congested terminals. In addition, the Supply Chain Team partnered on the launch of the first inland direct-rail port from Fresno to the Port of Los Angeles. Based on these learnings, the team spearheaded the Almond Express train to carry containers from Oakland to Los Angeles, Long Beach and Norfolk, Virginia. The containers were then offloaded onto terminal docks for guaranteed export to Asia, the Middle East and India.
"Navigating the global supply chain issues and devising creative solutions ? while working alongside our partners ? is just one way we remained true to our vision of delivering the benefits of almonds to the world," said Jansen.
At the meeting, it was shared that during fiscal year 2022 Blue Diamond was able to:
"Blue Diamond has experienced substantial growth in recent years through thoughtful, smart decisions and actions," said Dan Cummings, Chairman of the Board, Blue Diamond Growers. "With our focus on innovation, deeply established partnerships, and steadfast commitment to going above and beyond to deliver on consumer and retail demands, I expect this progress to continue well into the future."
In addition to sharing highlights from the past year, Blue Diamond also announced its continuing board members, including:
In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, Blue Diamond Growers is also releasing its "Partnering for a Sustainable Future" Annual Report and inaugural "Growing a Better Tomorrow" Sustainability Report. Both reports are available on the Blue Diamond website at www.bluediamond.com.
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Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California's almond growers, is the world's leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
SOURCE Blue Diamond Growers
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