Apeel Sciences has made its first sales team hire with Nick Fitzpatrick coming onboard as vice president of supplier relations.
Fitzpatrick will be the key liaison between the US-based company and the grower-supplier community. He will lead the development and implementation of joint go-to-market strategies for Apeel and supply partners.
Fitzpatrick brings two decades of experience in the horticulture industry to Apeel, most recently serving as global commercial sales manager of T&G Global.
“I see Apeel and its vision of a world that 'works with nature' as helping to solve many of the challenges facing the supply chain for fresh produce,” said Fitzpatrick.
“I’m so excited that my journey in fresh produce has brought me to a company that has sustainable agriculture at its core, not only from an environmental point of view, but also economically. These are values that are very important for me and I look forward to working with suppliers to deliver the benefits of Apeel to their respective business.”
Apeel hit the headlines early last year when it announced it was using leftover plant materials to fight the signs of aging in fruit.
Gordon Robertson, Apeel’s chief revenue officer, said Fitzpatrick’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the company, as it expands into new categories - from its start in avocados to citrus and now asparagus - and new countries.
“Nick’s truly global view of the fresh produce supply chain, from growing, packing and shipping through to importing and sales execution, makes him the perfect fit to help our supplier-partners unlock the value of Apeel’s technology,” Robertson explained.
“Beyond his obvious skills, Nick brings a fierce passion and enthusiasm for the products and people that make up the fresh produce trade which supports how Apeel hopes to sustainably shape the future of fresh produce.”
