From Cotton Fields to California Almonds
Pacific Almonds began in 2012 when Ernie Schroeder Jr. and his father, Ernie Schroeder Sr., saw a shift coming in the Central Valley’s agricultural future. With decades of experience in cotton and a reputation for innovation, they recognized almonds as a chance to diversify and build something lasting.
Starting with a modest operation in Wasco, they soon partnered with Jim Neufeld and Charlie Pitigliano to acquire a dormant hulling facility. Relocated and reimagined, that facility became the Semi-Tropic Co-op, streamlining the journey from orchard to processor and setting a new standard for efficiency and quality.
Pacific Almond Vision.
The vision didn’t stop there. Over time, the Schroeders joined forces with other generational farming families (Chicca, Sill, Neufeld, Pitigliano, Valpredo, and Nickel) forming today’s coalition of seven owner partners. Together, they brought new life to a well-known site in Bakersfield, the “House of Almonds,” now a state-of-the-art processing hub visible from Highway 99.
Today, Pacific Almonds is a fully integrated almond company, offering everything from premium raw almonds to value-added products like smooth, flavorful almond butter. Built on trust, tradition, and forward-thinking leadership, our team continues to serve customers worldwide with California almonds grown and processed to the highest standards.
Custom Farming.
Quality begins in the fields and orchards, and the fundamentals of our farming practices is a result of years of experience and relentless hard work combined with the latest farming techniques that creates some of the best foods available. We stay up to date with the Good Manufacturing Practices(GMP’s) set up by the Almond Board of California and go beyond that to ensure our almonds are second to none.
We are committed to sustainability and you can see that if you take a walk through any one of our farms. 100% of our farms use efficient drip irrigation systems in attempts to conserve water and are in the process of converting them to being solar powered in order to reduce our carbon footprint on the planet. We take tremendous pride in the products we produce and the process behind it because we whole-heartedly understand that that they will one day be on the table of a family much like ours.