Blue Diamond Growers participated in the 2023 Rose Parade presented by Honda, an annual event held in Pasadena, CA on January 2. For the fifth year in a row, the Sacramento-based co-op honored the people and pollinators that make Blue Diamond almond products possible, highlighting the farmer-owned cooperative’s commitment to sustainability, pollinators, and biodiversity with a custom-built float brimming with fresh flowers and featuring Blue Diamond almond growers.
Meticulously built to honor the almond pioneer's past, present, and future, Blue Diamond's colorful float paid tribute to not only the almonds that sustain its growers and nourish its consumers but also to the pollinators that are vital for their success.
"We're thrilled to be back for the Rose Parade! This year's float is an unparalleled representation of the passion and hard work of our Grower members," said Raj Joshi, SVP global consumer division, Blue Diamond Growers. "We are incredibly honored to share this moment with the almond grower-owners riding our float, bringing the whole display to life, and our thousands of members who will be watching from home. Blue Diamond's California legacy keeps growing thanks to them."
The float included representations of the brand's Almond Breeze Almondmilk and the signature Smokehouse-flavored Blue Diamond Almonds; a rollercoaster; and an animated, spinning Ferris wheel. In addition, by creating joyful bees from thousands of flowers, the Sacramento-based co-op reinforced its commitment to partnerships that support honeybee health, such as Project Apis m. and Pollinator Partnership, and its use of pollinator-friendly plantings in growers' orchards to advance biodiversity and climate-smart agriculture.
This year’s float design consisted of more than 20,000 flowers, including over 10,000 pink and orange roses; hundreds of gladiolas, lilies, and orchids; as well as a variety of seeds, beans, and almond shells. The float will also featured a unique component: the heart and soul of Blue Diamond, its growers. Twelve almond growers rode alongside the float, representing the more than 3,000 dedicated growers in the California co-op.
With this year's Rose Parade theme, "Turning the Corner," Blue Diamond also took an opportunity to celebrate what the new year means to them: the long-awaited almond bloom that happens every February in central California, signaling a new year for the almond cycle, and a renewed opportunity to keep growing a better tomorrow through innovative sustainable farming practices.
Visit bluediamondgrowers.com/sustainability to learn how Blue Diamond is committed to biodiversity and pollinator health.
