Editor’s note: The following profile is from the 2023 Packer 25, our annual tribute to 25 leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. (You can view all honorees here.) This feature has been edited for length and clarity.
Sharese Roper — Director of industry and partner engagement, International Fresh Produce Association
How do you handle the ever-changing environment of the produce industry, the challenges it brings and innovation needed?
I handle change similar to most of us in this industry — with optimism, action, and innovation. Change is uncomfortable, yet it is change that empowers us to evolve, expand and make space for a better tomorrow.
When I reflect on my 18 years in this industry, change is the only consistent thing I remember, and I have witnessed major moments that range from remarkable wins like when the WIC program added fruits and vegetables to devastating disruptions like the recent pandemic. We are even powering through persistent crises like climate change that disrupt every aspect of the supply chain in one way or another.
This industry has overcome so much, yet still, we are the most joyous people on the planet, acting with passion and relentless dedication while innovating beyond the challenges of today to serve up a better tomorrow for all.
So, how do I handle constant change and challenge? Not alone. Never alone. I lock arms with my passionate produce family, from the field to the fork (literally my fork), as we reignite the pleasure of produce and cultivate the next generation of produce lovers.
Why do you do what you do?
Ultimately, it goes back to my passion for people and purpose. My grandfather was a third-generation farmer, so I inherited a deep appreciation for the joy of fresh from a very young age.
Food was at the center of every family event and community gathering. Fresh produce was always there too, but so was an expansive showcase of Southern home cooking — often fried, slathered in butter, heavily salted or sweetened. To no avail, I have struggled with my weight since childhood, and I have watched my loved ones suffer through diet-related diseases, like so many in the Black community.
Access and affordability are key barriers, and the cultural miseducation of nutrition persists. I have the privilege of working with dietitians and nutrition experts every day, and I am committed to sharing my knowledge and experiences with my community so they too can live and thrive from a lifestyle full of fruits and vegetables.
More about Sharese Roper
Blessed with a contagious high-energy persona and passion for people, Sharese Roper works to engage, energize and unify the produce industry as the director of industry and partner engagement at the International Fresh Produce Association.
Serving most of her 18-year tenure at the Produce for Better Health Foundation, Roper played a leading role in the development and delivery of key initiatives and programs for PBH and Have A Plant, leveraging her passion for people, planning and purpose-driven work to design all-encompassing experiences and events that yield results and revenue in support of their mission to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.
Roper holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is pursuing an MBA in organizational leadership at Wilmington University.
