22
Almond Facts
MAY | JUNE 2015
Global Ingredients Sales Expertise
Expands with New Hires
The sales team responsible for selling almond ingredients to the world’s major food companies has
expanded to include two new members – Jennifer Bardin and Christopher Cromwell. Each brings a
unique skill set and background to the team, complementing the already extensive product and market
knowledge employed by the cooperative.
Almond Facts sat down with Jennifer
and Christopher to learn more about
them and learn more about their role
at
Blue Diamond
.
Almond Facts
(AF)
: Could you tell our
readers where you’re from and where
you went to school?
Jennifer Bardin
(JB)
: I grew up in
Latch, Texas, a small community in
East Texas where I attended Harmony
High School. I attended LeTourneau
University in Longview, Texas where
I earned a bachelor’s in business
administration and my MBA in
marketing.
Christopher Cromwell
(CC)
: I was
born and raised in Eden Prairie,
Minnesota. I went to Purdue
University and the University
of Minnesota. I currently live in
Washington, D.C. with my wife
and two young kids and our golden
retriever, Kevin!
AF
: What were you doing prior to
joining
Blue Diamond Growers
?
JB
: Prior to
Blue Diamond
, I worked
in specialty food ingredient sales into
the food, nutraceutical and personal
care industries in the Dallas/Ft. Worth
region.
CC: I worked at John B. Sanfilippo
& Son managing their operations in
Europe, Middle East and Africa. Prior
to that I had a similar role at Ocean
Spray Cranberries – a cranberry and
grapefruit cooperative.
AF
: What attracted you to
Blue
Diamond Growers
?
JB
: I love almonds and I knew
Blue
Diamond
was the leader in the almond
industry. It was an opportunity that I
couldn’t pass on.
CC
: I have always had an affinity
towards almonds and working within
cooperatives.
Blue Diamond’s
brand
is well-known throughout the world
and really has so many tremendous
opportunities – I just had to come.
AF
: What geographic areas do you
cover?
JB
: I cover the Central United States.
CC
: I am responsible for all of
Europe.
AF
: What does a typical work day look
like for you?
JB
: My day includes lots of phone
calls and emails with customers
discussing the industry, their current
business and potential products. I
meet frequently with my customers
in the field to discuss the market,
our expansive product lines and new
almond products such as our almond
flour.
CC
: I spend a lot of time on the road
(in the air) throughout my region - 1
to 2 weeks a month during the busy
season. The face-to-face interaction
outside of large industry events is a
huge benefit for
Blue Diamond
. When I
am at home, I spend a lot of time on
the phone and Skype updating agents,
customers and potential customers
on the market. I’m also always
researching and monitoring trends in
the market to present to current and
new customers.
AF
: How do your customers perceive
the
Blue Diamond
brand?
JB
: They see us as the leader in safety,
quality and innovation in the almond
industry.
CC
:
Blue Diamond
is thought of as the
most innovative and highest quality
processor by my customers.
AF
: What do you like best about
Blue
Diamond
?
JB
: The people – my coworkers and
my customers.
CC
:
Blue Diamond
’s distinct advantage
in quality, consistency, food safety and
innovation.
CORNERING THE MARKET
Jennifer Bardin
