Grimmway Farms said Janis “Jan” Berk, former partner-owner of San Miguel Produce Inc. and an agriculture industry leader and advocate, has retired from her role as chief operating officer of the Central Coast fresh produce grower and distributor.
Berk has spent more than 20 years with the company. Together with her husband, SMP founder and former president and CEO Roy Nishimori, Berk has been instrumental in building SMP into a national leader and innovator in the fresh-cut, specialty vegetable market, Grimmway Farms said in a news release.
SMP was acquired by Grimmway Farms in July 2024, and Berk has served as an active member of the integration team while continuing to lend her expertise to product innovation and expanding business opportunities across the SMP portfolio, including its signature Cut ‘N Clean Greens value-added product line, the company said.
“Jan is a transformative industry leader who has helped build a highly successful global business while always supporting her local community,” Jeff Huckaby, president and CEO of Grimmway Produce Group, said in a news release. “Jan and Roy’s expertise in responsible farming practices, their commitment to their employees, and their keen eye for innovative product development and marketing has made San Miguel a standout in the leafy greens category. All of us at Grimmway are deeply appreciative of the family’s legacy and Jan and Roy’s support throughout the transition process to become part of the Grimmway family of brands.”
Berk joined the family-owned business full-time following a career as a marketing and media executive with the Los Angeles Times and LA News Group. Initially focused on sales, marketing and branding, she was named COO in 2006.
Grimmway Farms said Berk was known for her deep, personal passion for the farming industry and has been instrumental in furthering SMP’s commitment to providing career opportunities for all employees and advocating on behalf of Ventura County growers at both the state and federal levels.
Berk was previously chair of the International Fresh Produce Association’s Fresh-Cut Board and served as chair of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement. She is a long-time member of the Ventura County Farm Bureau in California and a former member of Farm Credit West’s Local Advisory Committee. She was named an International Fresh Produce Association Women in Produce Honoree in 2019.
“It has been a pleasure to work alongside the Grimmway team in ensuring that SMP will continue be an industry leader and innovator,” Berk said. “This operation, our employees and the ag community in Ventura County and beyond have given us so much. As Roy and I officially step into retirement, we are both excited to watch SMP continue to grow and thrive as part of Grimmway Farms.”
