Sunlight adds former retail produce executive
Sunlight adds former retail produce executive
Sunlight International Sales Inc. in McFarland, CA, the marketing arm of Jakov P. Dulcich & Sons, has hired Bert Boyd, a former executive of American Stores and Topco Associates LLC, as vice president of marketing development, according to Nick Dulcich, a principal in Sunlight and also a partner in Jakov P. Dulcich & Sons. Mr. Boyd started with Sunlight Sept. 10.
"I brought him in to be my marketing guru," Mr. Dulcich said. "He knows lots of people in the industry. He knows a lot of vice presidents in the procurement side of the retail trade. He is recognized, he is experienced and he knows how to talk to these people. He is going to set up more deals so George and I can sell more."
In addition to "bringing a lot of experience to the table," Mr. Dulcich said, "he is an all-around good man, too, and that means a lot."
Although Mr. Boyd's primary role will be in marketing, he will also be involved in sales, along with Mr. Dulcich and George Galloway, Mr. Dulcich said. Mr. Boyd's focus will be largely on the domestic market. That will help the company to become "more well-rounded," Mr. Dulcich said.
"I want to help build their domestic program here" and to take the company's "vision for premium table grapes to the domestic community," Mr. Boyd told The Produce News. "Sunlight International has been focused on international sales for so many years."
The company's grape production is increasing, and it will continue to do so over the next three or four years as recently planted vineyards "come on line," he said.
The company's "Pretty Lady" premium label as well as its "Sunlight" label "have always been exceptional labels in my experience," Mr. Boyd said. However, "it is not a brand that many people are familiar with" because only limited supplies have been available for domestic customers. "So as more supplies come on line, Nick is just looking to the future ... to let me help build that" domestic business. Drawing on his years of retail marketing experience, he said, "My vision is to assist them with my experience in those areas."
Mr. Boyd started his produce career working part time during high school bagging groceries at Jewel Food Stores in Chicago, back when "bag boys wore a white shirt and bow tie," he said. He went to work for Jewel full time in 1973, "right out of college," and continued with Jewel and its successor companies through a series of acquisitions until 2000.
After working at the retail level for several years, Jewel sent him to California in 1980 to work in field procurement. In 1984, Jewel became part of American Stores, and in 1992, "I took over procurement for American Stores, Lucky, Acme and Jewel," he said. He remained national manager of produce procurement for American Stores until 2000.
American Stores was taken over by Albertsons in 1999, and in 2000, "I left Albertsons" because there were "just too many changes." He went to work for Topco Associates, headquartered in Skokie, IL, and served as that company's vice president of produce procurement and marketing until 2005, after which he took a two-year hiatus.
"I felt it was time to spend some time with the family after years of traveling and being gone" much of the time, he said.
Then "Nick asked me to work here," Mr. Boyd said, and he accepted the offer. The Dulciches are "just a wonderful family," and "it is a privilege working here," he said.
"I brought him in to be my marketing guru," Mr. Dulcich said. "He knows lots of people in the industry. He knows a lot of vice presidents in the procurement side of the retail trade. He is recognized, he is experienced and he knows how to talk to these people. He is going to set up more deals so George and I can sell more."
In addition to "bringing a lot of experience to the table," Mr. Dulcich said, "he is an all-around good man, too, and that means a lot."
Although Mr. Boyd's primary role will be in marketing, he will also be involved in sales, along with Mr. Dulcich and George Galloway, Mr. Dulcich said. Mr. Boyd's focus will be largely on the domestic market. That will help the company to become "more well-rounded," Mr. Dulcich said.
"I want to help build their domestic program here" and to take the company's "vision for premium table grapes to the domestic community," Mr. Boyd told The Produce News. "Sunlight International has been focused on international sales for so many years."
The company's grape production is increasing, and it will continue to do so over the next three or four years as recently planted vineyards "come on line," he said.
The company's "Pretty Lady" premium label as well as its "Sunlight" label "have always been exceptional labels in my experience," Mr. Boyd said. However, "it is not a brand that many people are familiar with" because only limited supplies have been available for domestic customers. "So as more supplies come on line, Nick is just looking to the future ... to let me help build that" domestic business. Drawing on his years of retail marketing experience, he said, "My vision is to assist them with my experience in those areas."
Mr. Boyd started his produce career working part time during high school bagging groceries at Jewel Food Stores in Chicago, back when "bag boys wore a white shirt and bow tie," he said. He went to work for Jewel full time in 1973, "right out of college," and continued with Jewel and its successor companies through a series of acquisitions until 2000.
After working at the retail level for several years, Jewel sent him to California in 1980 to work in field procurement. In 1984, Jewel became part of American Stores, and in 1992, "I took over procurement for American Stores, Lucky, Acme and Jewel," he said. He remained national manager of produce procurement for American Stores until 2000.
American Stores was taken over by Albertsons in 1999, and in 2000, "I left Albertsons" because there were "just too many changes." He went to work for Topco Associates, headquartered in Skokie, IL, and served as that company's vice president of produce procurement and marketing until 2005, after which he took a two-year hiatus.
"I felt it was time to spend some time with the family after years of traveling and being gone" much of the time, he said.
Then "Nick asked me to work here," Mr. Boyd said, and he accepted the offer. The Dulciches are "just a wonderful family," and "it is a privilege working here," he said.
