Process Flow

Tim Peltzer has been growing Setton pistachios since 1996.

This pistachio orchard beckons you to enter!

Setton Farmers conducting post harvest pruning.

Pistachio cluster in the hull and ready for harvest.

Pistachios require tender loving care and constant attention.

Specialized harvesting equipment shakes pistachio tree to remove the pistachios.

Pistachios just harvested being dumped into a trailer.

Pistachios just harvested getting ready for transport.

Night harvesting

Pistachios just harvested from the tree in their hull ready to have their hull removed.

Pistachios in route to Setton’s pistachio facility.

Pistachios straight from the orchard entering the hulling process.

A portion of Setton’s hulling and drying operation.

Pistachios straight out of the huller being separated according to maturity.

A portion of Setton’s massive drying operation

Pistachios filling up a 1.2 million pound silo.

Setton’s main pistachio processing facility.

A portion of Setton’s hulling operation.

Silos filled to capacity with Setton’s pistachios

A portion of Setton’s processing operation which separates closed pistachios from open ones.

Pistachios coming out of pin pickers on their way to the electronic sorters.

America’s Best Tasting Pistachios!

Pistachios on their way to the roaster.

Setton’s pistachios being roasted to perfection.

Setton Farms premier film bag being filled with pistachios.

Setton’s Pistachios being staged utilizing automated equipment.

Setton’s wide variety of packaging options.

Setton Farms premier branded products

Pistachios being electronically sorted according to size and quality.

Pistachios being hand sorted to ensure the highest quality product.

Only pistachios which have passed rigorous quality standards move onto further processing.

Setton’s pistachios, just perfection!

Strict sampling process to assess quality.

Onsite USDA representative.

test

Farming

California produces over 98% of the pistachios grown in the United States. As one of California’s largest growers and processors of pistachios, Setton farms their own pistachio land and receives crops from pistachio farmers throughout California. The majority of Setton’s pistachio acreage is located right in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley.

Harvesting

Pistachio trees are harvested each year between mid-August and October. Specialized harvesting equipment encapsulates and shakes the tree which ensures that the pistachios never touch the ground. Pistachios are conveyed into bins and brought to Setton’s plant to be processed within hours after harvesting. During harvest, Setton’s facilities operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Hulling & Processing

Pistachios arrive at Setton’s processing plant in hoppers that are weighed and then unloaded into the receiving area. The nuts are sent onto conveyers into pre-cleaners to remove any sticks and leaves. They are then conveyed onto hullers where the pistachios are surface ground with water application to remove their outer hulls. Naturally opened pistachios, which have matured on the trees, are segregated from pistachios that have a closed shell.

Facility

Setton has the capacity of processing in excess of 60 million pounds of pistachios at the main processing facility and an additional 20 million pounds at the satellite facility located only 8 miles from the main facility. With room for further expansion, Setton has the capability of processing the increased pistachio supply expected in future years.

Roasting

Setton pistachios are sold either raw or roasted. The high-capacity roasting operation slowly dry roasts the pistachios to ensure the highest quality and flavor. Pistachios may be salted, or popular flavorings applied, based on customers’ request.

Packaging

Setton offers a wide variety of bulk and packaging options. Only the highest quality pistachios get through to the packaging department where Setton pistachios are packaged utilizing automated equipment. The Setton Farms brand as well as private label programs are packaged based on customer specifications to ensure the highest quality to the customer. Finished goods are stored on-site in a temperature controlled environment and inspected prior to shipment.

Quality Assurance

Utilizing state-of-the-art processing equipment and the latest technologies Setton sorts the pistachios according to size and quality. Setton pistachios are further hand sorted to ensure the highest quality product to their customer. Separate hand sorting operations are used for in-shell and shelled product

Food Safety

Setton complies with all local, state and federal food safety and quality laws. HACCP certification and accreditation by the American Council for Food Safety and Quality reflects Setton’s commitment to marketing only the highest quality pistachios. USDA standards define tolerances for percentage of split, damaged or defective pistachios.

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Producing wholesome pistachio nuts starts with the moment a seed is planted. We invite you to take a look into the process that makes Setton's pistachios America's best tasting pistachios.

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Get up close and personal with Setton Farms and "America's Best Tasting Pistachios" at one of our upcoming trade shows.

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Setton's pistachio catalog is available in 7 languages.