What is Hilltop Ranch Inc.?

Hilltop Ranch Inc. operates as a privately-owned California almond processor and handler specializing in the hulling, shelling, processing, and global distribution of California-grown almonds. According to company materials, the operation processes approximately 30,000 tons (documented at roughly 50 million pounds) of almonds annually and ships to buyers in over 70 countries worldwide. The company is positioned in Ballico, California, within Merced County in the heart of California's San Joaquin Valley, the state's primary almond-producing region.

The company functions as both a processor and handler, managing the complete processing chain from receiving field-harvested almonds through sizing, sorting, pasteurizing, and packaging for domestic and international distribution. Hilltop Ranch offers four primary product categories: manufactured almonds (including natural diced, natural sliced, blanched slivered, blanched diced, and blanched whole), in-shell almonds (Nonpareil, Sonora, Carmel, Monterey, Peerless, and other varieties), natural whole almonds (Nonpareil, Carmel, California Types, Mission Types), and certified organic almonds in various grades and varieties.

According to Almond Board of California supplier data, the company maintains a product mix weighted approximately 85% toward natural almonds versus 15% manufactured products. The operation serves as a vertically integrated processor following its 2022 acquisition by the Samran family, who farm over 4,000 acres of almonds and pistachios in California's Central Valley, creating integration from orchard cultivation through final export delivery.

Corporate Foundation

Hilltop Ranch Inc. was established in 1980 by David and Christine Long in Ballico, California. The company originated when the Longs purchased an almond orchard in the Ballico area of the San Joaquin Valley in 1980. By 1983, David Long, applying his engineering background, constructed a huller-sheller facility and began processing almonds for local growers. The operation expanded to commercial processing in 1984, handling two million pounds in its inaugural processing year.

The company remained under Long family ownership and management for over four decades, with Christine Long serving as co-founder and later as Chairwoman of the Almond Board of California (documented in February 2008). Dexter Long, son of the founders, progressed through operational roles beginning in the late 1990s, managing both the huller-sheller plant and sorting plant by 1998, advancing to Vice President of Operations in 2003, and serving as Vice President and General Manager from 2010.

In January 2022, the Samran family acquired ownership of Hilltop Ranch Inc., marking a significant transition in company control. The Samran family, through Samran & Sons Farming Co. Inc. (founded in 1990 by Parwinder Samran), operates as large-scale almond and pistachio growers with documented farming operations exceeding 4,000 acres across Stanislaus, Merced, and Madera counties. Following the acquisition, Parwinder Samran assumed the role of President, with sons Raj Samran serving as Chief Operating Officer and Taj Samran as Vice President handling grower relations. Dexter Long retained an ownership stake and continues in senior management as Senior Vice President. The company operates as a privately-held corporation with headquarters at 13890 Looney Road, Ballico, California 95303.

Production Infrastructure

Processing Facilities

Hilltop Ranch Inc. operates its primary processing facility at the Ballico location on Looney Road in Merced County. The facility encompasses integrated operations including hulling-shelling capabilities, electronic sorting lines, quality control laboratories, cold storage warehouses, and packaging operations. According to company materials, the operation hulls and shells approximately 20% of the total almonds processed in-house, with the remainder sourced from contracted growers and hulling operations.

Following the 2022 acquisition by the Samran family, the company expanded to control two huller-sheller operations, providing greater control over incoming almond quality and timing. This dual-facility access enables the company to manage almond flow from field harvest through initial processing stages. Company materials indicate the operation maintains its own trucking fleet for logistics, providing transportation from processing facilities to the Port of Oakland for international shipments.

The facility underwent significant modernization in 2018 with processing plant upgrades. Historical development includes expansion to the current Turlock Road plant location in 2002, incorporation of gravity separation and continuous electronic sorting and sizing lines operating at 10 metric tons per hour, construction of current sorting, packing, and shipping facilities in 2006, and installation of automated Satake electronic sorting machines in 2010 and 2016.

Hulling and Shelling Operations

The huller-sheller plant receives almonds directly from field harvest and performs mechanical separation of hulls, shells, and kernels using shear rolls, gravity tables, vibratory screens and decks, and forced air aspiration systems. The process employs dust collection bag houses and is designed to minimize kernel damage including chipping, scratching, splitting, and breakage. Company materials indicate the in-house hulling capability allows for particular attention to almond quality and delivery timing to downstream processing operations.

Sizing, Sorting, and Quality Control

Processing operations employ automated electronic sorting technology for both whole natural and in-shell almonds. The facility utilizes color scanning equipment, electronic defect detection systems, and sizing equipment to segregate almonds by grade and specification. Manual sorting operations complement automated systems, with experienced hand sorters removing defective almonds and foreign materials prior to packaging. Quality control technicians track individual lot progress throughout processing.

The facility maintains an on-site laboratory managed by a Quality Assurance Manager, capable of performing pathogen testing across multiple variants and microbiological testing. Products undergo testing prior to shipment. The operation includes pasteurization capabilities for almond sanitation requirements, automated labeling and palletizing systems, and custom packaging to customer specifications.

Product Portfolio

Manufactured Almonds

Hilltop Ranch processes almonds into manufactured forms including natural diced almonds in various size specifications, natural sliced almonds, blanched slivered almonds (skin removed), blanched diced almonds, and blanched whole almonds. These products serve manufacturers requiring processed almond ingredients for confectionery, baking, food service, and industrial applications.

In-Shell Almonds

The company packs multiple almond varieties in-shell including Nonpareil (soft shell, easily blanched, smooth kernel), Sonora, Carmel (soft shell with medium narrow shape), Monterey, Peerless (historically hard shell variety), and other California varieties subject to seasonal availability. In-shell almonds are packed in 50-pound bags. Company materials note that in-shell market demand has shifted predominantly toward soft-shell varieties, particularly Nonpareil, compared to historical Peerless hard-shell preferences.

Natural Whole Almonds

Natural almond offerings include whole kernels with skin intact across major California varieties: Nonpareil (wide range of uses, thin shell, smooth kernel, easily blanched), Carmel (soft shell, medium narrow shape, slightly wrinkled surface), California Type varieties (generally blanchable, range of characteristics, adaptable for manufacturing), and Mission Types (rich flavor, small wide kernels, darker wrinkled skin enhancing flavor adherence, less commonly blanched).

The company packs all major varieties, grades, and sizes of California natural almonds in accordance with USDA grading standards. Products are available in multiple packaging configurations based on customer requirements.

Organic Almonds

Certified organic almond products include Nonpareil Supreme Unsized, Carmel Type Supreme Unsized, and California/Mission Type varieties in Unsized format across various USDA organic grades. Organic products are processed in compliance with USDA National Organic Program standards and international organic equivalencies.

Certifications & Quality Standards

The following certifications are referenced in company materials and certification databases. AgriLinkage has not independently verified current validity, scope, or compliance status. Certification standing can change based on audit outcomes. Buyers requiring certified products should request current documentation directly from the supplier and verify validity with issuing bodies.

Food Safety Certification

BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (British Retail Consortium): Hilltop Ranch Inc.'s facility holds certification under the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, documented as achieving an A Rating in July 2012. The BRC certification represents compliance with international food safety management systems covering facility design, product control, process control, and personnel requirements. The certification is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is required by many international retailers and food service operators.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points): Company materials indicate implementation and maintenance of HACCP procedures as a food safety program discipline for identifying and controlling food safety hazards in processing operations.

Organic Certifications

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) - Handling Certification: Documented as certified for organic handling since August 5, 2004, under CCOF certification. CCOF is a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency.

USDA National Organic Program (NOP): Certified under USDA NOP standards since August 5, 2004, enabling handling and processing of certified organic almonds meeting U.S. federal organic requirements.

EU & UK Organic Equivalence: Documented as compliant for EU and UK organic equivalence since March 21, 2020, allowing organic products to be marketed as organic in European Union and United Kingdom markets.

US/Canada Organic Equivalence: Documented as compliant since October 26, 2009, under the US-Canada organic equivalency arrangement.

Japan Agricultural Standard (JAS) Organic Equivalence: Documented as compliant since November 21, 2013, for organic equivalence with Japan's organic standards.

All organic certifications listed above are administered through CCOF with the handling facility located at 13890 Looney Road, Ballico, Merced, California 95303.

Additional Quality Programs

Company materials reference adherence to USDA grading standards for almonds and implementation of quality policies and food safety innovation practices. The operation maintains an on-site laboratory for pathogen and microbiological testing.

Markets & Distribution

Hilltop Ranch Inc. serves both domestic and international markets, with company materials documenting shipments to buyers in over 70 countries globally. The company operates as a B2B supplier providing bulk almonds to manufacturers, processors, distributors, and exporters. International markets span multiple continents, with documented participation in trade events including Anuga (Germany - Hall 10.2, Stand I-075), INC Nuts & Dried Fruits World Congress (London), SEOULFOOD EXPO (Seoul, Korea), SIAL Paris, and trade missions to Japan.

The company maintains relationships with growers throughout California's San Joaquin Valley, documented at over 200 grower relationships in company history. The vertical integration achieved through the Samran family's farming operations and dual huller-sheller control provides supply chain oversight from orchard through export. Company materials indicate maintenance of in-house trucking fleet for logistics to the Port of Oakland for international container shipments.

The sales organization includes positions focused on international markets, with documented expansion of European and Middle Eastern presence through international sales representatives. Customer relationships documented in company materials include food manufacturers, confectionery producers, snack food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and wholesale bulk almond buyers. The company's organic certification suite enables access to organic markets across North America, Europe, United Kingdom, and Japan.

Sustainability Initiatives

The following represents publicly stated initiatives documented in company materials. Independent verification of implementation would require third-party assessment.

Hilltop Ranch achieved documentation as the first almond handler and processor to receive verified sustainable practices certification by NSF International (National Sanitation Foundation) and BASF Chemical Company in 2010. An Eco-efficiency Analysis (EEA) examining four years of process changes documented over 30% reduction in resource inputs across land use, water use, energy consumption, emissions, and chemical applications.

Energy and Infrastructure

In 2009, the operation became the first almond handler and processor to install on-site solar power generation. The solar array encompasses approximately 4.5 acres (2 hectares) with 574-kilowatt generation capacity, documented as powering approximately 75% of the processing facility's electricity requirements. The system remains operational according to company materials.

Additional energy and resource efficiency measures documented in company materials include upgraded air compressors and facility lighting systems, increased insulation in cold storage and warehouse structures, installation of motion-sensor activated warehouse lighting, resizing of electric motors in plant equipment for efficiency, upgrading forklift fleet, conversion of truck fleet to low-emission diesel engines, conversion to natural kraft corrugated packaging with recyclable inks, and labor-saving improvements in plant processing workflows.

Agricultural Practices

For almond production operations (relevant to Samran family farming operations associated with the processor), documented sustainable practices include conversion from oscillating sprinklers to micro-irrigation systems in orchards, adoption of non-cultivation practices, upgrading harvest equipment for efficiency, implementing mulching instead of open-field burning of orchard waste, and enhanced chemical management protocols.

Technology & Innovation

Hilltop Ranch implemented several industry-first technologies in almond processing. In 2002, the facility became the first in the almond industry to incorporate gravity separation, electronic sorting, and sizing in a single continuous processing line operating at 10 metric tons per hour. This integrated approach reduced handling stages and improved throughput efficiency.

The operation installed state-of-the-art Satake electronic sorting machines in 2010 and expanded automated sorting capabilities in 2016 with additional electronic sorting equipment. These systems employ optical sensors and color scanning to detect and remove defective kernels, foreign materials, and off-specification almonds at high processing speeds.

Following the 2018 modernization of the sizing and processing plant, the facility employs automated systems for labeling, palletizing, and color scanning in addition to the core sorting and sizing operations. The processing technology is designed to minimize kernel damage while maximizing throughput and quality consistency.

Information Currency and Verification

This company profile reflects publicly available information from Hilltop Ranch Inc. official website (hilltopranch.com), CCOF organic certification database, LinkedIn company profile and posts, Farm Credit case study (2024), Almond Board of California supplier directory, business information databases, industry publications, and trade event documentation. Time-sensitive data including processing volumes (documented at approximately 30,000 tons or 50 million pounds annually), facility counts, certifications, ownership structure (Samran family acquisition in January 2022), and employee counts may change. Users requiring current information should contact the company directly.

Certification validity and compliance status can change based on audits and operational changes. Buyers requiring certified products should request current documentation from the supplier and verify validity with certification bodies including CCOF (organic certifications) and BRC Global Standards (food safety).

AgriLinkage has not conducted independent verification of operational capabilities, facility conditions, processing capacities, or compliance claims. Commercial parties should conduct independent due diligence appropriate to their transaction requirements including facility audits, product testing, financial verification, and legal review.

Accessing Current Information

Prospective buyers, importers, and commercial partners should contact Hilltop Ranch Inc. directly to obtain current product specifications, pricing, availability, minimum order quantities, certifications, and capability information.

Official Contact Information:

Hilltop Ranch, Inc.
13890 Looney Road
Ballico, California 95303
United States

Telephone: +1 (209) 874-1875
Fax: +1 (209) 874-1877
Website: https://hilltopranch.com

The company maintains sales staff including positions focused on domestic and international markets. For buyers requiring assistance with supplier verification, due diligence support, or facilitated introductions, AgriLinkage can provide verified buyer-supplier introduction services. However, all commercial negotiations, quality verification, and contractual arrangements should be conducted directly between buyer and supplier with appropriate professional guidance.

Buyers conducting sourcing evaluation should request current certification documentation, product specifications, processing capability verification, facility audit reports if required by purchasing standards, references from current customers in similar markets, and financial stability information if entering long-term supply arrangements.

Conclusion: Hilltop Ranch Inc.'s Position in California Almond Processing

Hilltop Ranch Inc. operates as an established California almond processor with documented operations since 1980, now under ownership integrating farming operations with processing capabilities. The company's positioning includes documented processing volume of approximately 30,000-50 million pounds annually, comprehensive certification portfolio spanning food safety (BRC) and organic programs (USDA NOP, EU, Canada, Japan equivalencies), global market reach documented across 70+ countries, vertical integration from farming through export following 2022 ownership transition, and documented sustainability initiatives including NSF-verified practices and on-site solar generation.

For buyers seeking California almond suppliers, the company offers relevance through established processing infrastructure with documented history of facility modernization, organic handling certification enabling organic product supply, food safety certification meeting international retail requirements, experience in both natural whole almonds and manufactured formats, and documented international shipping and export capabilities.

The company's transition to Samran family ownership in 2022 represents a structural change integrating significant farming operations (4,000+ acres) with processing capabilities, potentially affecting supply chain control, product sourcing, and operational priorities. Buyers should verify current operational capabilities, quality systems, and supply reliability directly with company management as ownership transitions can affect operational consistency.

This profile provides background context for initial supplier evaluation. Current commercial engagement requires direct contact with Hilltop Ranch Inc., independent verification of capabilities and certifications, product sampling and quality assessment appropriate to buyer requirements, facility audits if required by corporate sourcing policies, and proper legal and commercial due diligence before entering supply agreements.