Okanagan Specialty Fruits names sales and business development VP

Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the developer and grower behind the Arctic apple varieties, has added John Freitas as vice president of sales and business development.

Freitas brings extensive experience and expertise in the food industry to the company's leadership team, according to a news release. OSF says Freitas will be pivotal in driving its sales and business development strategies, fostering new partnerships and expanding the reach of the Arctic apple varieties.

"John's appointment is a significant step in advancing the company's mission and ensuring the continued growth and success of OSF," OSF President Neal Carter said in the release. "His strategic insights and customer-centric approach will undoubtedly contribute to OSF's continued success and further the market presence of Arctic apples."

Related: More news about people in the fresh produce industry

Freitas is a “proven leader and builder of strategic categories in foodservice and retail,” the release said, with previous roles as vice president of sales and marketing for Fresh Origins and, most recently, head of foodservice for AeroFarms.

"I am thrilled to be joining Okanagan Specialty Fruits, a company at the forefront of agricultural innovation,” Freitas said in the release. “I look forward to working with the talented team at OSF to bring the benefits of Arctic apples to even more consumers worldwide."

Summerland, British Columbia-based OSF is a vertically integrated company specializing in the development, growing, processing and marketing of novel tree fruit varieties developed through bioengineering and other molecular tools, according to the release.

Related link: arcticapples.com