New Zealand-based fresh produce export company Turners & Growers has promoted from within to ensure its apple and pear business continues to grow following the recent acquisition of topfruit exporter Apollo Apples, which remains subject to regulatory approval.
Darren Drury, previously T&G's general manager for topfruit sales and marketing, is now executive general manager for what is the group's largest produce category, accounting for a significant proportion of the its revenue.
T&G chief executive Alastair Hulbert said Drury's appointment, to what is a newly created role, was aimed at building on a revised corporate strategy that placed more emphasis on development of the apple and pear category as a critical element of its future growth and success.
'This year one of our most important business priorities is to align our pipfruit category with our newly created corporate strategy,' Hulbert stated. 'We intend to bring further focus and integration to our international pipfruit business to realise more value through growing our global supply base to meet the increasing market demand for our premium pipfruit offerings.'
Tony Motion, T&G's current general manager for apples and a former Zespri senior manager, has apparently said he wants to pursue other opportunities outside of the company and is expected to leave shortly. His decision appears to have been made in response to T&G's planned merger of the topfruit general management and topfruit sales and marketing roles.
'Over recent times there has been considerable work with the board dedicated to looking at how best to structure the leadership of the pipfruit business to deliver the strategy,' T&G said in a statement.
'Through this process the decision was made to move away from a structure where two roles lead the pipfruit category, and to disestablish both the general manager pipfruit category and the general manager sales and marketing pipfruit roles.
'In there place the new senior executive position, executive general manager pipfruit, was created with the objective of bringing increased coordination to the sales, operations and growing functions.
'As the business worked through this process Tony Motion expressed his wish to pursue other opportunities outside of Turners & Growers. The company thanks Tony for his significant contribution to the pipfruit category over the last 20 months.'
Experience counts
Drury has spent the past decade working in senior roles at T&G and its subsidiary Delica, and offers the group 25 years experience in the fresh produce sector.
'He has forged strong business relationships with both our market partners and our grower suppliers,' said Hulbert, adding that his 'experience, insight and understanding' of the entire supply chain would be of great value to the company as it continued to build its global topfruit business.
The addition of Apollo is expected to increase T&G's annual export volume considerably and enable it to supply more key varieties like Braeburn as well as licensed products Jazz and Envy, while outside New Zealand the company's topfruit business is described as 'well positioned for growth'.
Aside from apples, T&G is currently attempting to expand its international supply base for table grapes. With the backing of its major shareholder BayWa, it is shortly expected to announce the signing of joint venture agreements to source and supply grapes from Peru and Chile.
