COASTAL GROWERS
BY J E S S I E S H O O K
A FARMING LEGACY
Coastal Growers is the first farmer-owned peanut shelling plant in Alabama. Made up of 195 farm families across Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi, this company prides itself on family values and creating a legacy for generations to come. With 32 years’ experience in the peanut industry, Dirk Lindsey, President and CEO of Coastal Growers, is no stranger to this business model. His experience has taken him to four different states and even out of the country to Africa. After completing a business model just like this in Arkansas, Lindsey brought his experience to Alabama. “I was hired in December 2020, when Coastal Growers had no facility and one employee – me,” Lindsey said. “Fast forward to June 2022 and we have an 87-million-dollar
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Cooperative Farming News
facility with 85 employees.” This business model is unique because it was created by farmers, for farmers. “We are a grower-owned LLC,” Lindsey said. “It’s the fifth one in the industry primarily owned by growers – in our case 94% grower-owned.” The goal of Coastal Growers is to give growers the opportunity to make more money for their product, build equity in the company, and secure a future for their farm and families. “In the past, these farmers would sell their crop to traditional shellers,” Lindsey added. “At Coastal Growers, these farmers have invested in this – they have skin in the game.” Another aspect that is important to the Coastal Growers business model is the work environment. Coastal Growers wants to have the
