Calavo adds VP to lead tomato and papaya sales
Calavo Growers has named Kurt Kistler as vice president of sales for tomatoes and papaya.
The company also announced the retirement of industry veteran Brian Bernauer, according to a news release.
Kistler has over 25 years of fresh produce industry experience, having spent the last seven years at Charlie’s Produce, the release said. He previously held positions at Taylor Farms and UNFI. During his tenure at those respective companies, he became proficient in managing a national sales department, brokerage, purchasing, grower relations, marketing and quality control, according to the release.
Kistler will now direct all aspects of Calavo’s tomato and Hawaiian papaya programs, including sales, grower relations and shipping operations, the company said. He will report to Mike Browne, executive vice president of sales and operations.
“We are excited to have a well-rounded and knowledgeable leader in Kurt to support and grow our tomato and papaya programs,” Browne said in the release. “We also would like to thank Brian Bernauer for his many years of leadership with Calavo and wish him well in his retirement.”
Calavo said it is entering a transitional period for its year-round tomato program in Mexico as the Jalisco greenhouse production wraps up in January, and it commences the Culiacan season. Typically a mid-December start, this year’s Culiacan start may be slightly delayed until late December or early January due to heavy rainfall during planting season, the release said.
“We are estimating a record volume season from Culiacan, with promotable volumes January through May,” Kistler said in the release.
The company said it continues to offer its greenhouse-grown rounds and romas in a variety of packs and sizes.
“We’re looking forward to plenty of really good quality fruit,” Megan Stallings, senior account manager for tomato sales for Calavo, said in the release. “Upcoming changes to the Tomato Suspension Agreement could likely affect markets, however, as we head into that Culiacan season. “
