Honeybear Brands, Elgin, Minn., has hired Craig Arneson as business development director.
Arneson most recently was at C.H. Robinson, for four years, as strategic category manager and then general manager of North Region sourcing. Before that, he was senior group manager of produce sourcing at Target for 4 ½ years, preceded by 12 years at C.H. Robinson, starting in sales, then category manager, senior category manager and in business development.
Honeybear grows numerous varieties of apples, including First Kiss, Pazazz, Jazz, Honeycrisp, Riverbelle and Ambrosia.
“As the population grows and the farmland shrinks, it’s important to add value to the equation,” Arneson said in the release. “This position allows me to join a fast-moving production agriculture company and work closely with all members of the food chain to add that value.”
The company has made several leadership additions in the past year, preparing for growth in the next year, according to the release.
“We’ve seen exponential growth over the past few years thanks to premium produce introductions such as Pazazz from our varietal development program, but also as part of year-over-year growth from our retail partnerships,” Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing, said in the release. “Craig will help strengthen those relationships and grow our business offerings and opportunities across North America.”
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