Blue Diamond chooses next CEO: Who will lead Sacramento-headquartered almond giant?
Blue Diamond Growers, the Sacramento-headquartered almond company that represents thousands of California growers, has selected its next CEO.
Kai Bockmann, who most recently served as president and chief operating officer of Saputo Inc., an international dairy company based in Canada, will take the helm Jan. 17, Blue Diamond Growers said in a Monday news release.
Bockmann replaces Mark Jansen, who has served as president and CEO since 2010.
“Kai has more than a quarter of a century of global experience growing CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies, and we believe he is the leader we need to keep building our business and brand domestically and internationally, while continuing to deliver superior returns to our grower-owners,” Dan Cummings, chairman of the Blue Diamond Growers board of directors, said in a prepared statement.
Blue Diamond, headquartered in downtown Sacramento with a large corporate campus and almond processing center, was founded in 1910 and represents about 3,000 California almond growers, according to its website.
The company has more than half the market share in the U.S. snack almond business, it said in Monday’s news release.
“I’m excited by this phenomenal opportunity to join one of the most consistent and fastest-growing food and beverage companies in the world,” Bockmann said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to learning from growers and team members and keeping our immediate focus on maintaining business continuity and growth momentum.”
Jansen, whom the company recognized as serving a “very successful 12-year tenure,” announced in October his plan to depart Blue Diamond. He did not announce his future plans, but said he would stay on as CEO until his replacement’s arrival.
