Mission Produce celebrates 35 years

Mission Produce is celebrating its 35th anniversary at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit Oct. 18-20 in Orlando, Fla.

“For the past 35 years, we have been risk-takers,” Steve Barnard, president and CEO, said in a news release.

“This avocado revolution is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we do not plan on slowing down anytime soon. It’s only half-time,” Barnard said in the release.

In the past 35 years, Mission Produce has been a leader in the avocado industry, according to the release. The company was the first to launch a nationwide U.S. avocado ripening program, the first to commercially import avocados from Chile and the first to open an avocado ripening and distribution center in China, according to the release.

“Mission simply pays attention and seizes opportunities,” Jim Donovan, senior vice president of global sourcing, said in the release.

Mission Produce has operations in nine countries and owns 11 ripening facilities in North America, Europe and China.

“Although we have grown tremendously in the last 35 years, our core values remain the same. Our employees abide by the acronym FIRST, which stands for fun, innovative, reliable, successful and trustworthy,” Ross Wileman, senior vice president of strategic initiative said in the release. “We are looking forward to connecting with everyone at PMA and celebrating this momentous occasion.”

Mission Produce is at booth No. 1773 on the Fresh Summit expo floor.