Sacramento, California-based Blue Diamond Growers, an agricultural cooperative and marketing organization that specializes in California almonds, has announced the closure of its close historic midtown Sacramento plant over the next two years and relocate most of its manufacturing operations to facilities in Turlock and Salida, California, moving production closer to its network of California farmers.
The closure will impact 600 employees in phases over the next 18 to 24 months, with around 10% of plant employees being laid off by the end of 2025.
President and CEO Kai Bockmann noted, “Our Sacramento team’s work ethic and incredible drive have enabled us to build Blue Diamond into what it is today. However, the challenges of running a plant from these historical buildings have become too costly and inefficient. Streamlining our manufacturing plants is the right business move to further strengthen our market-leading position and bring increased value to our grower members.
Even though most employees will not leave this year, we want to be transparent and tell our people as soon as possible.”
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?
