Premium Walnut Processing - From Orchard to Table
Our Walnut Processing Journey
At Carriere Family Farms, we handle each step of walnut processing with care and precision, ensuring the finest quality walnuts make it to your table. Our commitment to excellence and sustainable practices brings out the best in every walnut, from the moment it’s harvested to its final packaging.
Harvesting
Walnut season runs from late summer to early fall. We carefully harvest, hull, and dry our product using state-of-the-art harvesting machinery, ensuring they reach our processing facilities fresh and ready for the next step.
Hulling & Cleaning
Once harvested, we immediately hull and rinse the walnuts , removing the green outer husk to preserve quality. After hulling, walnuts undergo a thorough rinsing to remove dirt and debris, setting the stage for high-quality end products.
Drying
Freshly hulled walnuts are dried to the ideal moisture level, around 8%, preventing mold and extending shelf life. We use advanced drying methods to protect the natural flavor and texture of the product.
Sorting & Sizing
Each walnut is sorted by size and quality, ensuring consistency and premium-grade results. Our automated sorting technology ensures that only the best walnuts make it to the next stage of our walnut processing.
Kernels & In Shell
For walnuts sold as kernels, we expertly crack and shell each one using our state of the art shelling equipment, preserving the integrity and taste of the nuts. For in-shell walnut products, we bypass this step, keeping the natural shell intact.
Grading for Quality
Each kernel is rigorously graded for size, color, and quality to guarantee only premium walnuts reach our customers. Our quality control process is designed to meet or exceed the highest industry standards.
Packaging & Storage
To maintain freshness, we package walnuts in food-safe, eco-friendly materials. Our facilities keep packaged walnuts cool, ensuring that they stay as fresh as the day they were processed.
Experience Quality Walnut Processing With Carriere Family Farms
Our dedicated walnut processing team and state of the art facility works with precision and care, ensuring every walnut retains its natural flavor, texture, and nutrients. Whether you’re looking for bulk walnuts or custom walnut processing, Carriere Family Farms delivers excellence every step of the way.
Let us be your trusted walnut processing partner– from orchard to table, we bring out the best in every nut. Contact us today to learn more or place your order!
250,000+ sq ft of NEW Processing Capacity —
More Space, Volume, Speed & Efficiencies
"On day one, we'll have 44 million pounds of storage capacity, no load limits, unloading in 15 minutes—just incredible capacity and efficiencies down the line from shelling to packaging to storage to loading."
In September 2022, Carriere Family Farms reached an exciting milestone in expanding our walnut processing capabilities. We proudly opened our new, state-of-the-art facility, spanning 277,520 square feet, which brought a remarkable transformation to our processing capacity. This advancement unlocked fresh opportunities for our growers and customers alike, setting the stage for a bright and promising future.
Vertical Integration
Back in 2000, Carriere Family Farms made the transition from grower to processor and marketer of California walnuts, and we’ve continued to expand our capabilities and synchronize our controls and consistency. Over the last 20 years we have added inshell and kernel packing capabilities to our business—and have continuously increased the volume of inshell walnuts we process, pack, and ship. We are more focused than ever on quality and consistency—on an even greater scale with our 277,520 square feet of new processing operations.
Inshell and Shelling Lines
Our shelling lines complement our walnut processing operations. And with the inshell market focused on speed and getting walnuts packed and shipped before November 1 to meet the inshell market needs in Europe, we are now more than ready to achieve these goals. The shelling market, however, requires a steady flow of goods, which keeps us shelling and packing most of the year. With a significant increase in cold storage facilities, we can now ensure the highest quality as we receive and store products. Having an inshell and shelling plant has made Carriere Family Farms a one-stop shop when it comes to fulfilling walnut customer orders. We ship year-round and can handle sales up to multiple truckloads.
Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Watch a quick video with highlights of our new facility:
Achieving Global Certification
We are proud to be an SQF-certified facility. The Safe Quality Food Institute is recognized worldwide by retailers and foodservice providers who require a rigorous, credible, food safety management system. Using the SQF certification program streamlines assessment and improves the consistency of assessment standards. Additionally, the SQF Program is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Learn more at the SQF Institute website.
