PRESIDENT’S CORNER
A New Chapter in Our Co-Op Legacy Friends have been asking me, “How long will it take to get almonds off your mind ? ” My answer is, “It will never happen.” I love to go grocery shopping and reconnect with the businesses I once led. I open the freezer door to straighten the Haagen-Dazs pints, move down the aisle to check out the new varieties of Pillsbury Toaster Strudel and evaluate the latest merchandising strategy on Freschetta pizzas.
Those of you with grown children who have left home will understand that while you are no longer responsible for them, you still feel tremendous interest, pride and affection for their lives. I have a similar attachment with every business I have had the honor of leading. Blue Diamond will always have a special status because of its unique purpose as a co-op and because so many of our 3,000 farm family owners have become my friends. As we sell our almonds to 90 countries and have now developed licensee partnerships that take our Almond Breeze ® brand to over 60 countries, I am blessed to have relationships around the world. As team members and grower-owners, we share tremendous pride for what we have accomplished together. The months since my announcement have been gratifying as I have been able to share mutual affection with so many of you.
Leading Blue Diamond has been more than a great honor. It was a calling for me. I take great satisfaction in the co-op business transformation in people, performance and profitability. This is a great time for transition and Kai Bockmann took over CEO responsibility on January 16. While I am still passionately working to ensure a graceful transition, my tenure will be ending in April. I look forward to continuing friendships and beaming with pride this spring as I watch our new advertising campaigns, this fall discovering the next generation of new products on the shelf, and this winter giving a thumbs up to the holiday almond displays. Thank you for letting me serve as your CEO. And I remain confident that for Blue Diamond , “The Best is Yet to Come!”
Mark Jansen CEO Emeritus
Mark Jansen CEO Emeritus
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ALMOND FACTS
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