Blue Diamond Growers is set to close its historic Sacramento manufacturing plant, according to a WARN notice. As the facility will close, the company will lay off 49 employees. Last year, the company announced plans to shift operations from the Sacramento unit to other facilities.
Blue Diamond Growers to Close Sacramento Manufacturing Plant
Blue Diamond Growers filed a notice on April 13, 2026, under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The company stated that it will permanently close its facility at 1802 C Street, Sacramento, CA 95811. The layoffs are scheduled to take place on June 12, 2026.
Blue Diamond Growers is a more than 100-year-old agricultural cooperative representing close to 3,000 almond farmers in California. In June 2025, the company declared that it would shut down operations at its Sacramento plant and move most of its manufacturing to its plants in Turlock and Salida.
Company President and CEO Kai Bockmann attributed the move to the high cost and inefficiency of operating in old buildings. “Streamlining our manufacturing plants is the right business move to further strengthen our market-leading position and bring increased value to our grower members,” said Bockmann.
The transition started in late 2025, with approximately 10% of the employees departing and a gradual shutdown in 18-24 months. Approximately 600 workers are expected to be affected by the decision. Blue Diamond said that it will provide retention incentives during the transition, along with severance, outplacement benefits, and relocation opportunities.
The cooperative will keep its corporate headquarters in Sacramento. The company also noted that its Sacramento site could attract future investment and redevelopment.
By moving its manufacturing operations to the Central Valley, Blue Diamond hopes to have better access to grower-members and enhance the efficiency of its almond business in the long run.
Legacy of Blue Diamond Growers
Blue Diamond Growers was established in 1910. The cooperative has played a central role in shaping the modern almond industry, making California one of the largest producers of almonds.
Blue Diamond Growers is now a farming network and a global consumer packaged goods corporation. The company offers whole almonds, value-added products like almond flour, and other specialty formulations used in food production.
The company has a workforce of about 1,400 people and has been investing in state-of-the-art processing technologies and sustainability programs to serve growers as well as the changing demand of the market.
Besides its commercial activity, the cooperative also regularly publishes market reports and crop progress reports. According to a recent report, the company’s March exports showed a 21% increase compared to last year.
Despite the 49 employees to be impacted as per the WARN update, the company will still be operating in the region, which implies that it will have to strategically re-align instead of leaving Sacramento entirely.
