Santa Paula, Calif.-based Calavo Growers has named Helen Kurtz as senior vice president and general manager of Calavo Prepared, the company’s prepared foods segment.
Kurtz has more than 25 years of experience in the food industry, primarily with General Mills Inc. and, most recently, serving as senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Foster Farms, according to a news release.
At Foster Farms, Kurtz led the poultry business and orchestrated its sale to private equity, according to the release. At General Mills, Kurtz led a number of brands, including Betty Crocker, Chex Mix and Fruit Snacks and served as vice president of Yoplait, the release said.
In April, Calavo announced it would reorganize its business into two segments, Grown and Prepared, with a senior vice president and general manager responsible for each.
The dual segment structure aligns product fulfillment responsibilities with profit and loss management, according to the release. Starting Aug. 16, Kurtz will lead Calavo’s Prepared segment, which consists of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, ready-to-eat sandwiches, wraps, salads and snacks, guacamole and salsa sold at retail, and foodservice, in addition to avocado pulp sold to foodservice, according to the release.
Ron Araiza, vice president with Calavo, is retiring in October, but will first assist in onboarding and transitioning Kurtz, according to the company.
“Helen is a results-driven leader with a wealth of experience in the packaged foods industry, and we are excited for her to lead and grow our Prepared segment,” Brian Kocher, president and CEO of Calavo Growers, Inc., said in the release. “Her operational and marketing expertise will help drive Calavo forward under our new segment structure.”
“I’m excited to join the Calavo team at this stage of the company’s transformation, and I look forward to working with our team and customers to drive long-term growth in the prepared segment,” Kurtz said in the release.
