Coastal Growers

BY JESSIE SHOOK

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 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

mindset of the corporate business world while still maintaining a family atmosphere. “We want to build a culture,” Lindsey said. “Even though we are not technically a ‘family-owned’ company – we are. We are owned by 195 families. We want a 20-year-old to come and work for us and stay until retirement; our employees are not just a number.”

The plant is located in Atmore, Alabama. The location was ideal for transportation and not to mention – it is at the center of high-quality peanuts! “Logistically, it made a lot of sense for servicing our customers,” Lindsey added. “The city of Atmore and the state of Alabama were also outstanding and helped us find the perfect site for the plant.”

Coastal Growers today is on a 60-acre complex and is a 25+ tons an hour shelling plant. With about 60,000 tons of farmer stock storage and 40,000-square-foot cold storage, the facility under roof is right around 400,000 square feet. The Atmore facility also has a sister plant in Tifton, Georgia. This was an existing plant that signed a long-term contract with Coastal Growers. This sister plant will create shipping advantages for the company.

Coastal Growers is currently working 24 hours a day, four days a week and will increase to 24 hours a day, five days a week. During harvest season, it takes about 45 days for crops to come in and takes 10 months or so to be processed out. “This plant takes an agriculture product and creates an edible product,” Lindsey said. “We are currently selling to 15 countries on three continents.” 2022 will be Coastal Growers’ second harvest in operation and the future is bright for this farmer-owned company. “We don’t know what the company’s future holds but there is an opportunity for expansion,” Linsey added.

For a lot of growers, this company isn’t about them, it’s about their family and the resources to continue farming for generations. “Anything that we can do to keep the American farmer in business and not only surviving, but thriving is something we should all work toward,” Lindsey said.

US Senator Tommy Tuberville tours the facility.