Murray Driediger, president and CEO of BC Fresh Vegetables Inc., is the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
The honor recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to the fresh produce industry.
“Murray’s achievements and contributions to the produce supply chain make him one of the renowned key industry leaders in Canada,” CPMA said in a news release.
Driediger’s more than 40-year career started in 1979 at his family’s business, Driediger Bros. Farms Ltd., where he worked as the managing partner, the release said. In this role, he transitioned the company from a focus on growing fruit for processors to one focused on growing for the fresh market.
Over time, he developed a supply network of over 40 growers as well as a distribution network for six fruit commodities throughout North America, and he has held various senior roles within the industry since then. As BC Vegetable Marketing Commission’s general manager, Driediger helped guide the significant expansion in the root crop and greenhouse sectors, as sales increased from $69 million when he joined in 1997 to $300 million, the release said.
In 2005, he became president of the Golden Eagle Group, one of the largest agriculture operations in Canada, covering 4,800 acres.
Driediger joined BC Fresh in 2007 as president and CEO, where he has remained for the past 17 years. He transitioned the company from an on-farm distribution model to a central distribution network resulting in two warehouse expansions in the last 14 years. Under his leadership, the company has grown sales exponentially and now markets and distributes an expanded produce offering from 60 farms, consisting of 8,000 acres and 95,000 tons in annual produce sales, the release said.
Driediger is involved in the produce supply chain in Canada and the U.S. He has served on several boards, including CPMA, the North American Tomato Trade Working Group, the Canada-U.S. Potato Committee, BC Strawberry Growers Association and more. His contributions to the industry have earned accolades such as The Packer’s coveted Canadian Produce Person of the Year Award in 2018 and the British Columbia Produce Marketing Association’s 2017 Produce Person of the Year Award.
“Murray has been a prominent figure in the produce industry from his time working on the family farm to leading BC Fresh,” CPMA President Ron Lemaire said in the release. “His dedication to advancing the sector has truly left a lasting impact.
“As a CPMA board member for 10 years and past chair of the Leadership Committee, Murray actively supported various initiatives,” Lemaire continued. “Notably, he championed the Freggie children’s program and advocated for enhanced financing tools for the industry, including the establishment of a financial protection mechanism for produce growers and sellers, now recognized as Bill C-280. His commitment to the industry’s growth, governance and well-being has been commendable.”
Driediger will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award alongside other industry members and businesses at the CPMA Convention and Trade Show’s awards brunch on April 25, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
CPMA members can learn more about the history of the award, including a complete list of previous winners, in the Produce+ membership directory on the CPMA community webpage.
