Diamond Foods
| Company type | Public (until 2016 acquisition) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Packaged food manufacturing |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom, international markets |
| Products | Nuts (walnuts, almonds), snack foods (potato chips, popcorn, snack nuts) |
Number of employees | 1400 |
| Parent | Snyder's-Lance (acquired 2016) |
Diamond Foods, Inc. was a U.S.-based packaged food manufacturer located in San Francisco, primarily focused on nut products—especially walnuts and almonds—as well as snack foods. Following its 2016 acquisition by Snyder's-Lance, the company's snack brands became part of Campbell Soup Company, while the nut division, Diamond of California, was acquired by Blue Road Capital.
History
Established in 1912 as Diamond Walnut Growers, Inc., a cooperative of walnut farmers from California, the business transitioned into a Delaware corporation and went public in 2005 under the name Diamond Foods.
Timeline
- 1912: Founded as a cooperative by walnut growers in California.
- 1919: Initiated the first nationwide advertising campaign for nuts.
- 1930: Commenced exporting nuts to international markets.
- 1950: Became the first nut company to advertise on television.
- 1956: Consolidated operations in Stockton, California.
- 1989: Implemented laser sorting technology to enhance processing efficiency.
- 1997: Japan emerged as its leading export destination for shelled walnuts.
- 1998: Released a comprehensive line of packaged shelled nuts and established itself as the top global marketer of in-shell nuts.
- 1999: Adopted the brand name Diamond of California.
- 2000-2004: Served as the exclusive nut supplier for U.S. Olympic teams.
- 2004: Merged with J Stone & Son and introduced the Emerald Nuts snack brand.
- 2005: Changed corporate name to Diamond Foods, Inc., and completed an IPO on NASDAQ (DMND).
- 2006: Purchased Harmony Foods along with a production facility in Indiana.
- 2007: Emerald Nuts sales surged by 68% following a Super Bowl commercial featuring Robert Goulet.
- 2008: Acquired Pop Secret popcorn brand from General Mills.
- 2009: Emerald secured a 10% share of the U.S. snack nut market.
- 2010: Bought Kettle Foods, expanding into potato chips with operations in both the U.S. and U.K.
- 2011: Announced plans to merge with Pringles; transaction targeted for mid-2012 completion.
- 2012: Accounting irregularities surfaced; merger with Pringles was terminated.
- 2013: Shut down Fishers, Indiana manufacturing plant; discontinued Harmony brand; laid off over 100 employees.
- 2014-2015: Settlements reached with former executives involved in accounting misconduct through SEC agreements.
- 2016: Snyder's-Lance acquired Diamond Foods along with all its subsidiaries.
- 2017: Snyder's-Lance divested Diamond of California nut division to Blue Road Capital.
Diamond Foods brands
Diamond Foods markets five primary product categories:
- Potato chips under the Kettle Brand label in the United States and as Kettle Chips in the United Kingdom, offered in multiple flavors and packaging formats.
- Snack nuts branded Emerald, featuring assortments such as trail mixes, roasted, glazed, flavored nuts, and portion-controlled 100 Calorie packs.
- Popcorn under the Pop Secret name, including kernels and microwave popcorn varieties like Homestyle, low-fat (94% Fat Free), and convenient 100 Calorie snack sizes.
- In-shell and culinary nuts sold under Diamond of California, available seasonally in produce departments and year-round within baking sections across grocery chains, mass merchants, and club stores.
- Ingredient and foodservice products supplied domestically and internationally, offering in-shell, shelled, glazed, and customized nut preparations for food manufacturers, restaurants, bakeries, and distributors.
Each product category includes healthier options such as calorie-controlled packs, reduced-fat potato chips containing up to 65% less fat than conventional chips, and low-fat popcorn selections.
Production
Diamond Foods operates with a workforce of around 1,400 full-time employees distributed among its plants located in Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and the United Kingdom. Instead of cultivating crops themselves, the company acquires raw ingredients from international suppliers. The manufacturing and packaging processes take place at facilities situated in Stockton, California, Salem, Oregon, Van Buren, Indiana, Beloit, Wisconsin, Robertsdale, Alabama, and Norwich, UK.