Ilenio Bastoni has been appointed as the new commercial director of Italian cooperative Apofruit Italia, part of a major reorganisation that sees Antonio Walter Bucella moved to head up the group's subsidiary Aposervizi.
Effective from 1 January, the changes also include the promotion of field technical coordinator Andrea Alberto Grassi to the position of technical director. He replaces Piero Turroni, who will continue to work with Apofruit on varietal innovation and R&D during the next two years.
"These changes, planned for some time, are part of a larger process of corporate reorganisation that we expect to complete by the end of 2014," said a spokesperson for the group.
"This process is aimed at linking generational renewal with operational continuity in a group which, in terms of its size and complexity, has no equal in the Italian fresh produce arena."
Apofruit's 12 packhouses and six distribution centres handled a total of 252,600 tonnes of fruit and vegetables last year, generating turnover of €223m on behalf of its 3,700 members, 149 employees and almost 2,000 seasonal workers.
Apofruit came under fire in 2009 over its proposals to reorganise the business, a move prompted by an apparent need to trim costs and improve competitiveness.
Faced with an increasing cost base and a more challenging international marketplace, the company has sought to downsize its wage bill by not replacing departing and retiring staff, a process referred to by the group's directors as natural downsizing.
In February 2010, the company reached agreement with worker organisations FAI, FLAI and UILA over a dispute relating to the changes, particularly its plan to outsource transport operations.
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