California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: Mission Produce

  • California Avocado Society Innovations & Insights Field Day, June 3

    On June 3, the California Avocado Society will host an Innovations and Insights field day from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Limoneira Ranch located in Santa Paula, CA. Presentations will take place in the field and be followed by a catered lunch.

    The day’s topics include:

    • Pests and Diseases — Ben Faber, UCANR
    • Anatomy and Nutrition ‚ Danny Klittich, Mission Produce
    • Integrating IPM, Pesticide Resistance and Cover Crops for Beneficial Insect Support — Bodil Cass and Hamutal Cohen, UCANR
    • Drone Use for IPM — Briana Layfield, Ag-Bee

    See the attached flyer and register to attend by May 29th HERE.

  • Mission Produce® Appoints Michael Sims to Board of Directors

    Mission Produce, Inc. (“Mission” or “the Company”), a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados with additional offerings in mangos and blueberries, today announced the appointment of Michael Bryan Sims to its board of directors, effective May 5, 2025. Sims is appointed as an independent Class I director, serving on the audit committee, with a term expiring at the Company’s 2028 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In connection with this appointment, Mission Produce’s board of directors has increased the size of the board from eight to nine directors.

    Sims is a seasoned financial executive with more than four decades of experience leading global organizations across the food, agriculture, and consumer industries. He brings deep operational, strategic, and financial expertise, with a proven track record of driving growth, improving margins, and leading transformative initiatives for both public and private companies.

    Sims most recently served as Executive Vice President and CFO of TruGreen, where he led the company through critical financial restructurings, operational improvements, and strategic capital deployment. He previously held senior leadership roles at AdvancePierre Foods, where he helped take the company public and later facilitated its acquisition by Tyson Foods, and at Chiquita Brands International, where he led global finance and business development initiatives for over 20 years.

    In addition to his executive experience, Sims currently serves on the boards of The Hain Celestial Group and Winland Foods, where he provides strategic and financial oversight as a board member and audit committee chair. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University.

    “We are pleased to welcome Michael to our board of directors,” said Steve Barnard, CEO of Mission Produce. “Michael’s extensive financial background combined with his board-level experience in the food and consumer sectors make him an ideal addition to our team. We expect that his proven ability to align financial strategy with long-term business objectives will enhance our growth strategies and create sustainable value moving forward.”

    “I’m honored to join the board of Mission Produce,” said Mr. Sims. “Mission’s industry-leading position in the avocado and mango industries, commitment to diversification, operational excellence, and supply chain transparency aligns closely with my professional philosophies, and I look forward to supporting the Company’s continued growth and success.”

    About Mission Produce, Inc.:

    Mission Produce is a global leader in the worldwide avocado business with additional offerings in mangos and blueberries. Since 1983, Mission Produce has been sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados, and currently services retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically integrated Company owns and operates four state-of-the-art packing facilities in key growing locations globally, including California, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Ecuador, South Africa and more, which allow the company to provide a year-round supply of premium fruit. Mission’s global distribution network includes strategically positioned forward distribution centers across key markets throughout North America, China, Europe, and the UK, offering value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. For more information, please visit www.missionproduce.com.

  • Mission Produce™ Appoints New President & Chief Operating Officer

    Mission Produce, Inc. (“Mission” or “the Company”), a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, today announced the appointment of John Pawlowski to President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective April 1, 2024. Steve Barnard will continue to serve as Mission Produce’s Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors.

    Pawlowski is a highly accomplished executive leader joining Mission with more than 25 years in the global food and foodservice industry, specializing in business development, system optimization and executive team management. Pawlowski has a proven track record of leading international market growth strategies in large global organizations such as J.M. Smucker, where he progressed over more than 16 years in a variety of leadership positions, culminating with a post as Vice President of International, driving logistical efficiencies, market access and strategic partnerships. Most recently, he served as the President and COO of Lipari Foods, a leading independent distributor, where he was responsible for leading M&A and organic growth, expanding the company’s national distribution and designing operational strategy. Pawlowski leverages his international expertise in process improvement, logistics and organizational design to build results-driven teams that demonstrate growth.

    “John is an exceptional leader who brings a passion for innovation that strongly aligns with the long-term goals of Mission Produce as a market leader,” said Steve Barnard, Chief Executive Officer. “With his comprehensive background in the international food industry and impressive track record of driving businesses to new heights, I believe his skillset will greatly contribute to our continued growth as we work to enhance our operating strategies to maximize shareholder value.”

    “I am thrilled to join Mission Produce as a global leader with a strategic vision to drive avocado consumption across the globe,” said Pawlowski. “With Mission’s unparalleled positioning, advanced global infrastructure and world-class team, there are endless opportunities to leverage the Company’s assets for accelerated growth. I look forward to applying my expertise in market access and operational design to help optimize Mission’s operations and deliver value for its customers, shareholders and other stakeholders.”

    Pawlowski holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University.

    About Mission Produce, Inc.:
    Mission Produce is a global leader in the worldwide avocado business with additional offerings in mangos and blueberries. Since 1983, Mission Produce has been sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados, and currently services retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically integrated Company owns and operates four state-of-the-art packing facilities in key growing locations globally, including California, Mexico and Peru and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, South Africa and more, which allow the company to provide a year-round supply of premium fruit. Mission’s global distribution network includes strategically positioned forward distribution centers across key markets throughout North America, China, Europe, and the UK, offering value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. For more information, please visit www.missionproduce.com.