A Dubai nut processor has an ambitious goal to be up-and-running by October in southeast Fresno, and the company plans to export $200 million of product in the first year, says Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

Founded in 1976, Kahraman Agro specializes in processing local crops from around the world, including pistachios, walnuts, and almonds according to their website. They have plants in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan.

The Fresno plant appears to be the company’s first venture in the Western Hemisphere. Operators told Dyer they plan to move their Dubai operations to the city in coming years.

Dyer said the investment “sends a message that Fresno is open for business.”

“This year, they anticipate doing $200 million of exports from Fresno internationally,” Dyer said. “Next year, their projections are $300 million. In year three, they plan on bringing their entire Dubai operations to the city of Fresno.”

Last November, Dyer and four other U.S. mayors made a trip to Qatar in a bid to seek investment from Middle East funders for business opportunities in their cities.

Cook Land Company CEO Todd Cook said the company aggressively recruited Kahraman to fill the space.

“It is a truly wonderful time for our community. We were thrilled to recruit and are proud to welcome Kahraman Agro to the Central Valley as they drive their first stake into the ground in the United States,” Cook said in a statement. “We look forward to seeing them bolster Fresno’s local economy and strengthen their ties with the region’s farmers.”

Company Makes Nut Creams and Pastes

The company not only processes for raw nuts on the snack aisle, but also almonds for baking and confectionary uses. Additionally, it specializes in creams and pastes, according to the Kahraman Agro website.

Cook Land Company has been building the company a 25,000-square-foot facility, and the city is working to have everything approved for the October opening, Dyer said.

According to The Business Journal, the facility is at 2754 Business Park Ave. near Fowler and Shields avenues.