Perfection Fresh CEO Michael Simonetta has been elected chair of the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (APFA).
He takes over from the inaugural chair, Harry Debney from Costa Group.
APFA is made up of the largest growers in the fresh produce industry, which represents around half the whole industry’s annual turnover. Its membership is C-suite level and its role is advocating across a range of horticultural issues.
Perfection Fresh is one of Australia’s largest growers and marketers of fresh produce. Simonetta has been its CEO for 30 years. APFA CEO Michael Rogers said he brings a wealth of experience across the supply chain to the role.
Simonetta thanked Debney for his leadership in the formation of APFA.
“We have only been in operation for one year and have achieved a number of outcomes including holding regular retail roundtables with major retailers to discuss packaging and food waste; creating a reference group made up of our HR general managers to further industry employment issues; and producing a white paper outlining strategy to grow the value of the fresh produce industry to $20 billion by 2030.”
Simonetta said his focus this year will be on core issues, including: horticulture employment; packaging, food waste and recycling; and trade and market access.
Perfection Fresh, a subsidiary of Como Glasshouse, was #44 on the Food & Drink Business Top 100 Food & Drink Companies Report 2019, climbing 11 places from #55 in 2018. Costa Group was #45, having fallen from #27.
Our January-February 2020 issue profiles Perfection Fresh, its new product development process and sustainability initiatives.
US berry giant Driscoll’s recently invested in Costa Group to take an almost five per cent share in the company (Food & Drink Business 29/01/2020).
