<p>Blue Diamond Growers is reporting record sales as the company has rounded out its fiscal year. Global almond sales reached $1.2 billion, up from $189 million in fiscal year 2012-13. Value-added sales volume increased 14% despite a 7% smaller crop. President and CEO Mark Jansen addressed the cooperative's grower owners at their 103rd annual meeting. Value-added sales now represent more than 60% of the Blue Diamond Growers' revenue, including manufactured ingredients and consumer retail products, according to a press release.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"We accelerated our transformation into a global branded food manufacturing company, while making significant investments to ensure continued profitable growth. In April we opened our Almond Innovation Center on our Sacramento campus followed by the June grand opening of our Turlock plant, the largest single investment in the history of the California almond industry," said Jansen. "We will lead the world tree nut industry in almond product innovation and double our capacity with cutting edge plant technology designed for producing the highest quality almond products in the world."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"There's no other way to express the 2012 crop results than to say, 'excellence delivered,'" Chairman of the Board Clinton Shick, a grower from McFarland, stated. "This is the third year in a row for returning record revenue per acre to Blue Diamond growers. The 2012 crop exceeded the 2011 record by 21%, making the final total grower payment of $828 million the largest single payment ever made to almond growers!"</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Margin enhancement projects included improved manufacturing yields and faster processing lines, resulting in cost reductions of $11.3 million, for a three-year compounded savings of $38 million. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"Margin enhancements fuel our investments in new facilities, breakthrough advertising, and global markets," Jansen explained. "It also allows us to pay our growers industry-leading returns."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Energized by enhanced advertising investments and new products, sales thrived in 2012-13. In North America, the branded consumer business increased 30 percent to $469 million. More than 15 new products debuted and included Iced Coffee Almond Breeze, Artisan Nut*Thins and coffee and fruit flavored snack almonds. Snack Almond sales increased 22% versus the comparable period last year. Chilled Almond Breeze sales grew 74% and Aseptic Almond Breeze climbed 40%. Artisan Nut*Thins were up 38%.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Blue Diamond's branded sales were up 90% internationally in volume, versus the prior year. Net sales were up 95%. For the first time in the cooperative's history, branded advertising aired on three continents — North America, Australia and Europe.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>"I am most proud of the employees of Blue Diamond," said Jansen. "We often use the metaphor of a duck on the water. Above the water or outside the organization, the changes they execute may look easy. Under the water, or inside the organization, their feet are vigorously paddling. The fact is they work hard delivering the benefits of almonds to the world."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Blue Diamond is also partnering with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association to be the official snack nut of the U.S. Ski, Snowboarding and Freeskiing Teams as they prepare for the Winter Olympics Season in 2014. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Congrats Blue Diamond, and good luck with your future growth and expansion.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navid=3" target="_new">Blue Diamond</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
