Resolutions For A Successful 2016
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” – Abraham Lincoln
It’s that time of year again when people all over the world set New Year’s resolutions for the year to come. Just like everyone else, the management team and board of Blue Diamond have set resolutions for the cooperative to achieve in 2016 – goals that when realized, will continue to set our cooperative apart from the rest of the almond industry. I would like to share some of those resolutions with you.
First and foremost, we reaffirm our commitment to deliver industry-leading returns to our growers. It is our mission to maximize the returns for each grower who entrusts Blue Diamond with their almonds and we keep this goal top of mind throughout each and every year.
Our next resolution is to grow our brands, building on existing strengths and expanding into exciting new arenas for Blue Diamond. The Blue Diamond brand sets the cooperative apart from the rest of the industry and adds value to the almond products that we bring to market. We aim to grow our share of the value-added manufactured almond market through our almond ingredient sales as well as our share of the retail markets for snack nuts, almond milk and specialty crackers, both in the United States and abroad.
Finally, in order to continue expanding our innovative product offerings, Blue Diamond much continue to increase our share of the California almond crop by accentuating the things that set us apart from other handlers. Take our strong and competitive grower returns for example. For more than 10 years, Blue Diamond growers have been getting DPAD benefits on top of their return, which have given an additional $.02 to $.04 per pound after tax. Last year, we became the only handler and first cooperative to offer IC-DISC advantages, which gave our average grower an additional $.14 per pound after tax last year, and looks to be closer to $.19 this year. The benefits of cooperative membership only get better from there!
As I hope you can see, Blue Diamond is hard at work on our growers’ behalf to make 2016 the best year yet. Our cooperative’s 1,400 employees come in each day knowing and appreciating that they work for the most dedicated and innovative almond growers California has to offer. On behalf of our team, I wish you a happy, healthy and successful 2016. Together we are bringing the benefits of almonds to the world!