Hammons Products ramps up buying after slow start to season

Photo provided by Hammons Products Co.

Hammons Products Co. is seeking 22 million pounds of black walnuts this season.

Officials say black walnut season is off to a slow start this year, but Stockton-based Hammons Products Co. still has invested millions of dollars buying the product.

Jacob Basecke, Hammons Products’ vice president of sales and marketing, estimates the company so far has purchased about 7 million-8 million pounds, with buying stations to remain open through Nov. 11. At the record price of $16 per 100 pounds — announced late last month — the company would have so far shelled out $1.1 million-$1.3 million on walnuts brought in by harvesters.

“That’s less than halfway toward our goal, so we’re really counting on a lot of activity in the next two weeks,” Basecke said. “It has been a late harvest due to the weather conditions. But most of the nuts should be on the ground now, so we expect the next two weeks to pick up.”

If Hammons Products hits its goal of 22 million pounds of black walnuts, it will have spent $3.5 million purchasing the product from harvesters. The company operates about 225 hulling sites in 13 states.

Hammons Products sells the walnuts under its own brand and to other companies for manufacturing their own.