Local pistachio growers plan expansion | John Lindt
Central Valley pistachio growers, including a number from Kings County, are moving to expand their processing capacity this year. One big player in this group is Setton Pistachios with their main processing headquarters in Terra Bella. The company has now purchased the former Touchstone Pistachio plant owned by the Assemi Group also in Terra Bella. The purchase was through the bankruptcy process that has now been completed says Setton Pistachios general manager Lee Cohen. The facility is the former Aro Pistachio plant just a few miles from Setton.
“We are planning to operate the plant this fall” in time for the harvest of 2025, states Cohen. The facility is small by Setton standards — they are the No. 2 pistachio grower in the US, producing about 125,000,000 pounds of pistachios annually. That number is growing not only with this new local facility but a new Yolo County plant.
The collapse of the Assemi empire not only provided an opportunity for Setton to again expand their processing capacity, it also likely has motivated other smaller pistachio growers to think about expansion at this time. Another key factor is the growing popularity of pistachios, particularly new food uses for the popular snack nut as well as new research indicating the health benefits of pistachios. Helping to bolster demand for pistachios is a new food product called Dubai chocolate — a bar that contains filling made with pistachios. The product was promoted by social media influencers, especially on TikTok, and has spread like wildfire to other companies offering a similar products. The product is now a hot seller on Amazon and on the shelves at Costco and at the ice cream parlors of Baskin Robbins.
NPR reported last fall that the internet had “gone bananas” for Dubai chocolate. The chocolate bars are like a KitKat bar stuffed with pistachio nuts and aromatic pistachio nougat, says NPR. On the health front, new research says the snack nut provides a measurable source of lutein, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your eyes. Pistachios are the only nut that provides a source of lutein.
Cohen says this fall’s pistachio crop looks smaller than previously thought, likely to come in at 1.5 to 1.6 billion pounds offering good quality on about 25,000 new bearing acres to harvest. The predictions are for the pistachio crop in California to grow typically most years, having reached the 1 billion pound mark in 2020 and perhaps a doubling by 2030 over today’s numbers.
Also looking to boost their production, at least three pistachio growers and processors in Kings County are indicating expansion plans.
Those include a new company, Golden Harvest Pistachios, who is converting a walnut operation to the pistachio nut project — filed with the county. The new plant is at 14662 Seventh Ave., Hanford, says the Kings Planning Department. Applicant Nader Malakan plans a dry hulling and peeling system at Golden Harvest Pistachio. The company plans to construct an 8,000 square foot warehouse, 21 silos covering approximately 64,537 square feet, catwalks, and additional parking.
In the past week two more projects were announced
California Pistachios has filed a plan with Kings County as well near Kettleman City. The company is proposing to expand an existing pistachio processing facility in two phases. Phase 1 includes a new 72,000 square foot processing building and truck dock, two shaker decks, two silos, two cat walks, two silo feed conveyors and three EV charging stations. Phase 2 includes the installation of 22 additional silos for a total of 24 silos. The existing pistachio processing facility is located at 30650 Quebec Avenue.
Nichols Farms wants to enlarge capacity as well. A proposal to expand an existing pistachio plant located at 13868 First Avenue, Hanford, Assessor’s Parcel Number 016-230-036 in two phases. Phase 1 includes the installation of two silo dryers, two harvest receiving pits, five harvest dryers, six silos, one 12,000 square foot processing building, one product receiving pit and four aspirators. Phase 2 includes the installation of nine additional silos for a total of 15 silos.
The family-owned farm is already a major player in the Kings County pistachio industry. They have a one-megawatt solar facility on First Avenue that powers their processing plant.
Between these three Kings processors they plan to add some 60 new massive silos, a good measurement to gauge what growers expect to store and ship in the near future. Pistachios must be hauled and dried quickly after the harvest, and then stored in the big silos.
Other pistachio processors in the two county region include Keenan Farms in Kettleman City, Horizon Nut in Tulare and Wonderful Pistachios in Lost Hills, the largest of all the pistachio growers. Many of the workers who work at the Lost Hills farms live in Avenal in King County.