A CLOSER LOOK AT....
Hazelnut Growers of Oregon
Cornelius, Oregon
Co-op type:
Founded in 1984, Hazelnut Growers of Oregon (HGO) is the largest U.S. processor and handler of hazelnuts.
Service provided: Markets nuts from 150 members, as well as nuts from nonmembers in two plants. In addition, the cooperative operates two retail store outlets. At peak processing time, 250 people are employed by the cooperative.
CEO/President: Leonard Spesert
Board chairman: A nine member board of growers governs the co-op. Tom Peter serves as chairman.
Geographic area:
Hazelnuts were first brought to Oregon in the 1800s, where 99 percent of U.S. hazelnuts grow in the rich soil of the Willamette Valley. Hazelnut trees thrive on the mild valley winters. Of the state's 27,000
acres of hazelnuts, about 37 percent are
processed and marketed through HGO and
its Westnut subsidiary.
Product highlights: The hazelnut first became part of the Chinese diet about 5,000 years ago. Hazelnuts have a mild, sweet flavor and are used in baked goods, tortes, liqueurs and candies around the world. Oregon hazelnuts are also commonly called "filberts." The name honors Saint Philibert, whose August 22 feast day corresponds with the beginning of hazelnut season in England, and for the appearance of the nut's husk, noted for having a "full beard." Hazelnuts are an excellent source of protein; high in fiber, iron and calcium; and are cholesterol-free, with over 90 percent of the fat content unsaturated. Oregon Orchard Hazelnuts are the co-op's signature gourmet retail product, its first proprietary retail brand venture. The brand was introduced in 1998, targeted toward the expanding specialty foods industry. Candy-coated flavors include milk chocolate, yogurt, dark chocolate, butterscotch, strawberry cheesecake, cherry chocolate, espresso mocha, and mint chocolate. Five-ounce vacuum-packed-can flavors include salted, jalapeno, cajun red eye, hickory smoked, dry roasted (unsalted) and French roasted (unsalted). All canned items have no oil added. New product flavors are sweet hazelnut creme and chocolate hazelnut spread, which can be poured into a coffee beverage or used as a desert topping.
Recent developments: Although Turkey supplies enough nuts to meet world demand, HGO has expanded its market share with a higher quality nut, aggressive marketing and new products. For only the second time in its 15-year history, HGO is admitting new members. Two capital improvement projects are also underway. First, the co-op has a new Ball Deck sizer, which quickly separates jumbo in-shell nuts from the smaller ones. Through better separation, employees can dry nuts and move them through the system quicker. Second, the co-op is the first to use an Elbiscan Laser Sorter on hazelnuts. This machine finds defective nuts and foreign material as they move along a conveyor, and then shoots jets of air to remove bad nuts, shell pieces and other unwanted materials.
For more information:
Hazelnut Growers of Oregon,
P.O. Box 626,
Cornelius, OR 97113;
Telephone: (503) 648-4176;
fax: 648-9515; or
http://www.hazelnut.com.