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DANIELLE LOUSTALOT, 28 Marketing Manager
Sun World International, LLC HQ: Bakersfield, CA
Hometown: San Diego
Hobbies: Home design/renovation, gardening, singing, acoustic guitar, painting Motto in life: Where you are, in this moment, is exactly where you are meant to be.
Work history: Loustalot started at Sun World as an associate in the marketing department in 2014 and learned the ropes quickly, with responsibilities such as trade show and event planning, internal and external communications, graphic design and more. Year after year, she was presented with more responsibilities and opportunities, leading to her promotion to marketing specialist in 2017. With changes in leadership that took place in 2018, she assumed many of the responsibilities of the department and ascended to the role of marketing manager. Today, she oversees the execution of all of Sun World’s domestic and international marketing strategies, including that of global digital and shopper marketing, trade marketing and commu- nication, global brand building, packaging guidelines and design. She is commonly recognized for bringing an extra creative spark to Sun World’s marketing.
Q: How did you begin working in the produce industry?
Prior to working for Sun World, I was completing my degrees in economics and public relations and running an online busi- ness through Etsy, where I painted shoes with custom designs for people around the world, as well as painted mural projects around the Central Valley. I was introduced to the ag industry through Cal State-Bakers- field’s Growing Opportunities Career Fair (GOCF), where I interviewed with, and was hired for, a position with Sun World. I have since returned many times to CSUB to speak
to students at GOCF seeking careers in ag. I had not previously considered a career in agriculture, nor in marketing, but certainly found my sweet spot with Sun World.
Q: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started your career?
I now understand the importance of getting out of your comfort zone at every opportunity, especially when it comes to networking and making connections that will be truly valuable. This industry is made up of incredibly smart and supportive folks — it’s important to get out and learn from them. And, even better, find your tribe.
Q: What aspect of the business chal- lenged you the most early on?
Early on, I felt like I was in a constant state of trying to keep up. Learning a new industry and trying to master a role, while still finding opportunities to think out-of- the-box and go the extra mile, was a chal- lenge. Today, I am still learning that balance, but my true talents and experienced, yet unique, perspective now have more room to shine.
Q: What industry improvements would you like to see?
Lately, I’m thinking a lot about opportu- nities for produce companies to champion and support each other, as we are all part of the larger, incredible movement of feeding the world. Each company is doing incredible things, and the more we allow those things to be shared with the world outside, the larger our impact can be.
Q: What do you see as the most critical “hot button” issue facing the industry in the next decade?
I see environmental consciousness within every segment of the produce industry becoming far more critical over the next 10 years. From harvest practices and trans- portation efficiency to waste reduction and sustainable packaging, the pressure to reduce our impact will only continue to grow.
Q: What would you like consumers to know about the industry?
I often wish consumers could see the entirety of the work that goes into getting that box or single piece of delicious fruit into the store. It would shape their perception of produce forever, and for the better.
JENNY MALONEY, 40
Food Chain and Sustainability Manager
Bayer U.S. LLC, Crop Science
HQ: Research Triangle, NC
Hometown: Clovis, CA
Hobbies: Cooking, traveling, certified kids’ yoga instructor
Personal/Community: Married, two children, leads the Colorado State alumni association in San Diego
Motto in life: Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.
Work history: As U.S. food chain and sustainability manager for Bayer, Maloney is responsible for managing relationships and projects with key food chain partners, including food manufacturers and grocery retailers while focusing on consumer demands and trends in food. Working remotely from San Diego, she also creates communication to the downstream part of the food chain, talking about topics on how food is grown throughout the United States. Prior to joining Bayer, she held multiple roles at John Deere, including senior manager global water policy and strategic marketing manager within its irrigation division. She also spent time in the State and Federal Government Affairs division. Prior to that, she worked at the United States Department of Agriculture, working on domestic and foreign agricul- tural policy, including the 2008 Farm Bill. She has her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and is a member of the California Bar. She writes several blog posts for Bayer on how our food is grown and is a guest on the podcast, The Produce Mom. She is a member of the Farm Foundation (an agricultural think tank orga- nization), the New Opportunities Committee of the United Fresh Foundation and the Science and Technology Committee/Sustain- ability Committee of the Produce Marketing Association.
Q: How did you begin working in the produce industry?
I grew up in Clovis, CA, on a small hobby farm, raising 20 head of sheep and main- taining a garden with my brothers. We sold every Friday in the summers at the Clovis Farmers Market. We shared roles in the family. We did everything from prepping the land, selecting our seeds for that season, picking weeds in the 100-degree heat and harvesting. Very quickly, I learned about consumer preferences, why they didn’t like cracked and ugly tomatoes. One of the most important things I learned was the hard work that it took to get fruits and vegetables from seed to market.
Q: What do you know now you wish you knew when you first started your career?
I wish I knew you could move to different roles and experiences as you went through your career. Going into college, I had plans of being a large animal veterinarian, but that changed as I got into my second semester of organic chemistry. At that point, I had experience with my garden, but since I was already in an animal science path, I thought that I couldn’t deviate to another agricul- tural industry. Once I began my career at the USDA, I really got a broad overview of all aspects of agriculture, and I realized you can move into different areas.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
Early on, I worked with our local Renegades 4-H club to bring a community garden into an elementary school in Clovis where almost all of the kids had never experienced agri- culture. They were in charge of planting, weeding and eventually harvesting the fruits and veggies. Seeing the kids get so excited about how their food is grown really made an impact on me and was one of the most satisfying moments at the start of my career in fruits and vegetables.
Q: What do you think the industry can do to promote more produce consumption?
Be innovative. Consumers are asking for new varieties, better taste, easier to grab and go and more fun items. The industry is so well positioned to deliver on those needs.
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