Long-time retail produce executive joins J&D Produce
Long-time retail produce executive joins J&D Produce
Ken Green, who spent most of his produce career with the Great A&P Tea Co. Inc., based in Montvale, NJ, has joined J&D Produce Inc. in Edinburg, TX.
Mr. Green said that he was looking for an opportunity with a "quality firm with a high degree of ethical standards. I contacted Jimmy Bassetti, who I have known for a long time, and told him I was looking at the supplier community."
Shortly thereafter, the two men had a deal that will allow Mr. Green to work for the Texas shipper from his New Jersey location.
Mr. Bassetti, who is president of J&D, told The Produce News, "We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to have Ken work for us. He was a former customer and has a great deal of experience in the retail end of the business."
Mr. Bassetti said that Mr. Green will help the shipper "mainly in the communication between ourselves and the retailer. We think we know the retailer well, but Ken obviously knows that side of the business better than we do."
The J&D executive said that the Texas shipper has been improving its product line quite significantly over the last few years, and Mr. Green will give the firm another opportunity to inform the retail trade of these changes. "He will give us an added dimension on the sales side of the equation," said Mr. Bassetti. "Maybe we can get some of our customers to try all of our products rather than just a few of them."
J&D Produce sells a number of commodities, sourcing from both Texas and Mexico, including some key items such as sweet onions, honeydew melons, high betacarotene carrots and personal-sized watermelons.
Mr. Bassetti said that Mr. Green's first assignment is to help organize the sales effort to make sure that the firm is making its sales pitches to the right customers.
Mr. Green said that he was looking for an opportunity with a "quality firm with a high degree of ethical standards. I contacted Jimmy Bassetti, who I have known for a long time, and told him I was looking at the supplier community."
Shortly thereafter, the two men had a deal that will allow Mr. Green to work for the Texas shipper from his New Jersey location.
Mr. Bassetti, who is president of J&D, told The Produce News, "We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to have Ken work for us. He was a former customer and has a great deal of experience in the retail end of the business."
Mr. Bassetti said that Mr. Green will help the shipper "mainly in the communication between ourselves and the retailer. We think we know the retailer well, but Ken obviously knows that side of the business better than we do."
The J&D executive said that the Texas shipper has been improving its product line quite significantly over the last few years, and Mr. Green will give the firm another opportunity to inform the retail trade of these changes. "He will give us an added dimension on the sales side of the equation," said Mr. Bassetti. "Maybe we can get some of our customers to try all of our products rather than just a few of them."
J&D Produce sells a number of commodities, sourcing from both Texas and Mexico, including some key items such as sweet onions, honeydew melons, high betacarotene carrots and personal-sized watermelons.
Mr. Bassetti said that Mr. Green's first assignment is to help organize the sales effort to make sure that the firm is making its sales pitches to the right customers.