JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017
Almond Facts
23
Kent Stenderup Joins
Blue Diamond
Board
Representing District 9
For the first time since its creation, District 9 has a new
almond grower on the
Blue Diamond
board of directors. Kent
Stenderup, of Stenderup Ag Partners in Arvin, California, was
elected to the board and assumes the seat vacated by Clinton
Shick, who retired at the 2016 Annual Meeting.
The opportunity to be a part of a successful industry and
contribute to the continued success of
Blue Diamond Growers
inspired him to run for election to the board. “As member-
owners of the cooperative, we can participate together – both
large and small growers – and be part of a global leader in
Blue
Diamond
,” he said of the opportunity.
Stenderup brings to the
Blue Diamond
board experience as
the cooperative’s grower representative on the Almond Board
of California (ABC), where he currently serves as the vice
chairman. “This has been an invaluable experience. Working
with the ABC staff, independent growers and handlers, and
Blue Diamond
staff has given me a background to appreciate
today’s market and what lies in the future,” he said.
Looking ahead, Stenderup emphasizes the importance of
continued product innovation within the cooperative to remain
ahead of the competition and maintain industry-leading
returns. “The diversity and expertise of the board impresses
me. To have the favorable circumstance to work with growers
from Arvin to Chico is exciting. The board will continue to
emphasize that we must ‘beat’ the competition with higher
returns annually and gauge our success by the increment of the
difference,” he explained. “
Blue Diamond
may most easily be
associated with the Smokehouse 6-ounce can in years’ past.
But the future will show that
Almond Breeze
,
Blue Diamond
almond flour and other not yet released or developed products
will carry the brand for years to come.”
Stenderup’s family has been farming in the Arvin area since
the 1930s after his grandparents immigrated from Denmark.
Together with his father Verner and cousin Andy, the Stenderups
grow almonds, juice grapes and row crops, often enjoying
the safety and strength of the cooperative business model. In
addition to
Blue Diamond
, they are members of Delano Growers
Grape Products, Sunmaid raisins, Calcot, Kern Delta-Weedpatch
Cotton gin, Central Valley Almond Association (CVAA) and Farm
Credit West. “Upon planting our first almonds in 2006, decisions
had to be made for hulling/shelling and marketing our crop. We
immediately joined CVAA – a cooperative huller in McFarland.
And after a brief survey of our mothers and wives, we decided
that
Blue Diamond
was our preferred handler due to their quality
and brand position,” he explained.
“California has more than 6,000 almond farms and
Blue
Diamond
lists more than 3,000 members. This tells me that
roughly half of the farmers in a prosperous industry have
entrusted
Blue Diamond
to market their almonds. In other
words, 3,000 growers can’t be wrong,” Stenderup said. “As
Blue Diamond
members, we have the benefits of global product
scope of our almonds and annual returns that continue to rank
first industry-wide. In the event of price fluctuation, the brand
recognition and stature will carry margin. I am proud to be a
Blue Diamond grower
and to have the opportunity to serve on
the
Blue Diamond
board of directors.”
