California Ag Network

Tag: Turlock

  • Hilmar Cheese Company enters in an agreement to sell its Turlock, CA Milk Powder Facility

    Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. entered into an agreement to sell its Turlock milk powder facility to California Dairies, Inc. (CDI). The asset sale agreement allows both parties to begin due diligence in preparation to complete the transaction.  The sale is part of Hilmar Cheese Company’s new Strategic Plan 2021 announced last month. The Plan’s three strategies focus on people, operational excellence and delivering products and solutions that “WOW” customers.Hilmar Cheese Company Logo

    “We’re committed to building on Hilmar Cheese Company’s strong culture and purpose to improve lives while setting a bold vision for the future,” explained David Ahlem, CEO and President of Hilmar Cheese Company. “The Strategic Plan 2021 identifies the strategies we will use over the next three years to create sustainable growth that is repeatable, ethical and responsible to current and future communities.”

    Ahlem continued, “Our cheese, whey protein and lactose business remains core to our future. The Turlock milk powder facility sale supports our plan to focus on products to grow the strength of our business and fulfill our vision for the future.”

    Completed in 2015, the milk powder facility integrates advanced processing technology to manufacture whole milk powder and skim milk powder for the export market.  CDI will offer positions to Turlock-based Hilmar Cheese Company employees so they can continue their roles in producing high quality milk powder.

    The close of the purchase and transfer of plant ownership and associated assets is anticipated to happen May 2019.  Hilmar Cheese Company will continue operations with no impact to the dairy farm families who contract to sell their milk to the company.

  • Blue Diamond Invests in Expansion of Turlock Manufacturing Plant

    Blue Diamond Growers, a nonprofit grower-owned cooperative and the world’s leading processor and marketer of almonds, begins expansion of its award-winning processing facility in Turlock, CA. Today a groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the 200,000 square foot manufacturing plant recognized as the 2014 Plant of the Year by Food Engineering Magazine. The new addition is part of Blue Diamond’s continued plans to expand value-added product lines and deliver the innovations of new almond products worldwide.

    The 52,000 square foot building will be the latest construction of the three-phased project that will eventually yield a total of about 500,000 square feet of building space over the next nine years. This phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2020 and will accommodate growth of the cooperative’s business. The expansion consists of new automated processing and packaging equipment that promote Blue Diamond’s commitment to manufacturing excellence.

    “We are pleased to build our partnership with the Turlock community by investing to expand our facilities and workforce,” said Mark Jansen, Blue Diamond President and CEO. “We are creating the healthiest almond products and delivering the benefits of almonds to the world. This project allows Blue Diamond to meet the growing demand for our innovative almond products.”

    Blue Diamond Chairman of the Board Dan Cummings of Chico added, “We are thankful to our growers who own this cooperative for entrusting their almonds to us so we can continue to make valuable investments. This project gives them a secure future in the almond business.”

    Blue Diamond first announced its plans to build a manufacturing plant in the City of Turlock in April 2012 creating more than a hundred jobs.

    “On behalf of the Turlock community, we are tremendously excited about the expansion of Blue Diamond Growers state of the art processing facilities here in Turlock,” said Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak. “We know Blue Diamond has other company locations where they could have placed this expansion, but we are proud they chose Turlock. We look forward to the additional jobs this expansion will bring.”