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nWHAT’S NEW IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY?
FARM FRESH DIRECT, MONTE VISTA, CO
Farm Fresh Direct, one of the largest U.S. potato growers and shippers, has added two potato-industry veterans to its sales team.
Matt Glowczewski and Roger Chris- tensen recently joined the company in sales management
and sales/business
the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee marketing staff. Crowther brings a lifelong connection to the San Luis Valley potato-growing region. Her late father, Ron, was a grower for Monte Vista Potato Growers, and her mother Lynette is that cooperative’s bookkeeper. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from Adams State University in Alamosa, CO, Crowther was raised on a potato farm near Sargent, CO.
“Growing up on the farm, I know the industry from that perspective. I’m learning it from a different angle now at CPAC,” says Crowther.
Among her new duties, “I am working to keep up on our social media posts,” she says.
“I’m also hoping to bring a better understanding of what the farmers face. We want to share the story of our growers and how our high-quality pota- toes get from farm to table.”
MAVERICK POTATO CO., CENTER, CO
Entering its sixth year in business and its fourth year growing, packing and shipping exclusively organic pota- toes, the company added another Volm bagger to its packing operation. “This has given us the capacity to handle more volume with greater efficiency, allowing us to pass on that increased value to our customers,” reports co-owner Roger Christensen. He also emphasizes the extra attention to detail and quality packing provided through Maverick’s plant manager, Tom Torrez. “He brought a lot of excellent fabrication skills to our packing shed.”
ASPEN PRODUCE LLC, CENTER, CO
With the completion last winter of its organic packing line, the company will be offering more volume in organics this season, according to co-owner Rick Ellithorpe. Aspen Produce also added management in the warehouse. Dennis Perrin will oversee the packing and distribution of the organic volume. “We are one of the few remaining inde- pendent shippers in the area that is not affiliated with a larger cooperative or corporate sales organization, which
guarantees more personal attention to its customers,” says Ellithorpe. “We are different from other entities. We are quicker to react ... most of our sales staff has seen, touched and maybe tasted what they are selling.”
SKYLINE POTATO CO., CENTER, CO
Les Alderete, general manager of all operations, says the company expects to pack an increasing number of smaller packaging sizes, an ongoing trend he predicts will continue through the 2018-19 season. “Millennials and empty- nesters are two groups that go for the
smaller consumer-size packs,” he notes. Skyline Potato Co. offers conven- tional and organic product lines and operates two packing sheds in the Center, CO area. Potatoes are primarily marketedunderthe“Skyline”and“Green Giant” labels, but the company also does private labeling. “We cater to our customers and pack to their individual specifications,” stresses Alderete. “And our growers are some of the best in the
Valley.”
CANON POTATO CO., CENTER, CO.
A well-known face in the potato industry, Dave Yeager has joined Canon Potato’s parent company, Springdale, AK-based Schmieding Produce, as senior vice president of business development. Yeager was vice president of business develop- ment for Monte Vista, CO-based Farm Fresh Direct for more than seven years before making the move to Schmieding. In his new role, he oversees sales of the company’s entire range of domestic and imported vegeta-
bles.
“It covers everything, including pota-
toes from Canon Potatoes in the San Luis Valley of Colorado,” notes Yeager. Yeager’s nearly 30 years in produce also include working as regional director with Chiquita, vice president of sales for Del Monte Fresh, vice president of sales for the Tippmann Group, and Eastern divi- sion manager for NewStar. pb
development capac-
ities. The two bring
a collective 45 years
in potato sales and
production experience
in the San Luis Valley.
“With these additions,
we intend to bolster existing sales and uncover new business opportunities and channels,” reports Jamey Higham, company president and chief executive.
Glowczewskibrings33yearsofexpe- rience, including 20-plus years in the San Luis Valley. He most recently worked for RPE as a sales account manager. Prior to that, Glowczewski was a sales rep at Canon Potato Company in Center, CO, after starting in 1985 at Pueblo, CO-based Andrews Produce (now Andrews Food Service).
Christensen delivers 32 years of experience, including 22 in potato sales and production in the San Luis Valley. He presently operates 100-percent organic Maverick Potato Co. in Center, CO, which he will continue to do alongside his FFD responsibilities.
Before launching Maverick, Chris- tensen was in general management and sales at Skyline Potato in Center. His produce career began at Salinas, CA-based Papazian Worldwide Distrib- uting Inc., where he worked as a produce broker for 10 years.
“In his sales/business development role at FFD, Christensen looks forward to driving store-level potato sales through dynamic outlets such as assortment, merchandising and digital, particularly in the organic realm,” notes Higham.
COLORADO POTATO ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE (CPAC), MONTE VISTA, CO
New to CPAC but a familiar name in the San Luis Valley potato industry, Jessica Crowther recently joined
Matt Glowczewski
Dave Yeager
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