York looks back on four decades and looks forward to challenges

Tim York began working in the produce industry after college, without knowing he would never leave it.

“You know, I never I never really anticipated I was going to be in the produce business,” said York, president and CEO of Markon Cooperative Inc., Salinas, Calif. “This is just what I was going to do until I figured out what I wanted to do.”

With 40 years in the rear-view mirror, York has served in numerous organizations in a variety of volunteer roles. Among his positions, York has been chairman of the Produce Marketing Association and the Center for Produce Safety Advisory Board. He was a founding member of the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops.

York’s appetite for the industry has not been sated. Even though he is leaving Markon at the end of June, York said he wants to remain in the industry in a new venture.

Beginnings 

York worked at a summer produce job in 1975, loading trucks at the Dave Walsh Co. and then Stewart Packing. After college, York began his career under the direction of his uncle, Howard Hall, at the H. Hall & Co. in Salinas, Calif.

York worked there from 1977 to 1985, staring out in sales and rising to general manager by 1983.

As he worked with his uncle, York said he began to appreciate his skills in dealing with people in the produce business.

“One of the big lessons from working with Uncle Howard was just learning to work with people,” he said.

At the time H. Hall & Co. grew strawberries and mixed vegetables, but the bulk of the business was consolidation, York recalls.

It was a time in the industry when grower-shippers were specialized in certain commodities. 

With the advent of field packing of broccoli in the late 1970s, York said more shippers began to diversify into a broader range of commodities.
After coming to work for his Uncle Howard “almost by default,” York said the industry soon became his long-term destination.

“You get your feet in a little bit and you like the business, like the people and making money,” he said. “It’s just kind of hard to prepare to quit once you get on that on that roller coaster.”

Later, York was a founding member of Markon Cooperative as director of purchasing in 1985, taking the role of president and CEO in 1990. 
Moving to Markon in 1985 was a turning point, York recalls.

At the time, he didn’t have much knowledge of the foodservice market. That would change as he worked with Markon’s Dave Eldredge, Paul Gordon of Gordon Food Service and others who were committed to the success of the cooperative.

Over the years, cooperative members allowed Markon under York’s direction to establish parameters for food safety, sustainability, pallets, packaging and more.

“All of those initiatives we had to have support from the members to be able to do that,” he said. “It’s one thing for us to have the idea, but it’s another to be able to have people that will hold your hand along the way and say, ‘I’m doing I’m this.’”

Currently, Markon procures produce for seven broadline foodservice distributor members across the country.

Four decades and beyond

Over a 40-year career, York said there has been a “great awakening” around food safety issues, as awareness of pathogens in fields, in transport and throughout the supply chain has steadily grown.
The industry has responded to those food safety issues in the right way, York believes.

“I think it was 1998 when we first communicated to our suppliers that we expected them to have a third-party food safety audit,” York said.

At the time, Markon didn’t say what the audit had to include, but it was a foundational move to ask for a third-party food safety audit.

“It took us about two years before we really got member support for that and had enough suppliers on board, that we could actually lay down that mandate with all suppliers,” he said, noting Markon walked away from 25% of its supply base because they didn’t see the benefit of the audits.

“We weren’t a compelling enough customer for them for them to make the decision to do that, but soon everybody else would ask (for the third-party audit).”

That is not to say all food safety issues are solved.

“Every one of us are frustrated at this point because, I’ve been involved in the Center for Produce Safety since its inception and we’ve done a lot of great research,” he said.

But three outbreaks related to romaine lettuce in a two-year period have affected consumers and business. Next steps aren’t always clear.
“Part of our challenge is that we’re in a commodity business, and one bad box of romaine impacts every box of romaine,” he said.

Current crisis

York said that the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in its scope.

“I think everybody in this valley remembers what happened when we got the announcement from FDA (advising consumers) not to eat spinach back in 2006,” York said April 13. “That was what we referred to then as a watershed moment, everybody that was here in that valley remembers that very day and I certainly do.”

“This time will also go down as one of those times,” he said. “We’re so used to foodservice being 51 cents out of the food dollar that consumers spend, and all of a sudden we’re told restaurants are going to be closed or then only open for takeout.” 

The business contraction since March has made some tough business moves necessary for Markon and for York, including eliminating positions of valued employees.

York said the industry and Markon will come through the crisis leaner and more focused, but the exact timing of a return to “normal” is unclear.

“Nobody can tell us what May is going to look like, or June, July or August, so it’s really tough from a personnel standpoint and system standpoint to try and calibrate what the organization needs to be looking like at that point,” he said.

Many restaurants could remain closed.

“We really felt like we were prepared for a crisis, but this is one that we never imagined coming,” he said. 

York said he thinks a rebound appears to be likely in the fall, when schools are back in session and their foodservice needs will come back. 

Path ahead

When he looks ahead to his planned department from Markon in June, York said that he may take cues from Rich Dachman, former vice president of produce for Sysco Corp. and now the CEO of nonprofit Brighter Bites. York said Dachman has a great role in using his supply chain knowledge and relationships.

“I would look for something along those same lines for myself — meaningful work that makes a difference.”

York said April 13 he also is open to helping companies navigate the difficult journey back from the business effects of the pandemic.

“I love the foodservice business and I love working with people, and that opens up a whole suite of opportunities,” he said.

The Packer's COVID-19 Update