Frank McCarthy to retire from United Natural Foods and Albert's Organics
Frank McCarthy to retire from United Natural Foods and Albert's Organics
After several decades of working in the food and wine industry, Frank McCarthy has decided to retire in July at age 65.
Mr. McCarthy will walk away from his role as vice president of marketing for Albert's Organics at its Dayville, CT, location, a role he has held for the past four-and-a-half years. He is also director of brand positioning for United Natural Foods Inc., which owns Bridgeport, NJ-based Albert's Organics Inc.
Mr. McCarthy was a brand manager at the Kraft Foods division of General Foods International for 10 years before moving on to a role in the wine industry.
Following that stint, he became vice president of marketing and sales of Oviedo, FL-based A. Duda & Sons Inc. His territory was Texas, California and Florida, and he held the role for 10 years starting in 1988.
Subsequent to his time at Duda, Mr. McCarthy was vice president of marketing and sales at tree fruit cooperative Snokist Growers in Yakima, WA, for five years before moving on to Albert's Organics.
Mr. McCarthy said that the joy of working in fresh produce "is always the food," such as "eating fresh celery in the field or a Rainier cherry in Yakima." He included the "incredible flavors of organics" among his culinary joys.
Mr. McCarthy said that coming from the sterile atmosphere of the grocery products business to the warmth of the fresh produce industry also was a joy. The smaller, closer confines of rural farming held appeal.
By way of example, he said that in a "rural county in east-central Washington state, every individual is important."
Mr. McCarthy was hired by Albert's Organics to help establish its "Grateful Harvest" brand. Today, the brand includes fresh produce, grass-fed organic beef and salad dressings.
As distinguished from a sales plan, Mr. McCarthy said that he was perhaps the first person in fresh produce to really develop a marketing plan for products that included in-depth analysis.
"Not only are organics healthier for the individual, they're healthier for the environment," Mr. McCarthy said, adding that organic produce sales represent only about 7 percent of total produce sales at retail.
"Ten years from now, 15 to 20 percent of total produce grown will be organic," Mr. McCarthy predicted.
Albert's Organics works closely with independent natural foods retailers. To help retailers with shrink, the company offers split cases and half-cases.
"You better be careful with something highly perishable," Mr. McCarthy said. Although he is stepping away from Albert's Organics, Mr. McCarthy intends to keep his hand in the fresh produce industry.
He said that he plans to do some writing about fresh produce, will be looking for a board-level position in the industry, and also may teach and consult. Mr. McCarthy currently sits on the board of directors of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, but he will step aside to be replaced by someone else from Albert's Organics.
As a hobby, Mr. McCarthy does some woodworking and builds and flies radio-controlled airplanes.
He and his wife, Penny, were married in November.
Mr. McCarthy will walk away from his role as vice president of marketing for Albert's Organics at its Dayville, CT, location, a role he has held for the past four-and-a-half years. He is also director of brand positioning for United Natural Foods Inc., which owns Bridgeport, NJ-based Albert's Organics Inc.
Mr. McCarthy was a brand manager at the Kraft Foods division of General Foods International for 10 years before moving on to a role in the wine industry.
Following that stint, he became vice president of marketing and sales of Oviedo, FL-based A. Duda & Sons Inc. His territory was Texas, California and Florida, and he held the role for 10 years starting in 1988.
Subsequent to his time at Duda, Mr. McCarthy was vice president of marketing and sales at tree fruit cooperative Snokist Growers in Yakima, WA, for five years before moving on to Albert's Organics.
Mr. McCarthy said that the joy of working in fresh produce "is always the food," such as "eating fresh celery in the field or a Rainier cherry in Yakima." He included the "incredible flavors of organics" among his culinary joys.
Mr. McCarthy said that coming from the sterile atmosphere of the grocery products business to the warmth of the fresh produce industry also was a joy. The smaller, closer confines of rural farming held appeal.
By way of example, he said that in a "rural county in east-central Washington state, every individual is important."
Mr. McCarthy was hired by Albert's Organics to help establish its "Grateful Harvest" brand. Today, the brand includes fresh produce, grass-fed organic beef and salad dressings.
As distinguished from a sales plan, Mr. McCarthy said that he was perhaps the first person in fresh produce to really develop a marketing plan for products that included in-depth analysis.
"Not only are organics healthier for the individual, they're healthier for the environment," Mr. McCarthy said, adding that organic produce sales represent only about 7 percent of total produce sales at retail.
"Ten years from now, 15 to 20 percent of total produce grown will be organic," Mr. McCarthy predicted.
Albert's Organics works closely with independent natural foods retailers. To help retailers with shrink, the company offers split cases and half-cases.
"You better be careful with something highly perishable," Mr. McCarthy said. Although he is stepping away from Albert's Organics, Mr. McCarthy intends to keep his hand in the fresh produce industry.
He said that he plans to do some writing about fresh produce, will be looking for a board-level position in the industry, and also may teach and consult. Mr. McCarthy currently sits on the board of directors of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, but he will step aside to be replaced by someone else from Albert's Organics.
As a hobby, Mr. McCarthy does some woodworking and builds and flies radio-controlled airplanes.
He and his wife, Penny, were married in November.
