FDP beefs up sales team as US lime market continues to grow

US-based fresh produce grower/packer/importer Farm Direct Partners (FDP) has appointed two produce industry specialists Jackie Carrillo and Dan Acevedo as key executives in a strategic move aimed at further advancing the company’s growth in the imported lime category.

According to data from the USDA, US lime imports have risen by 69.5 per cent in value since 2020, reaching nearly US$860m in 2023/24. However, during the same period, imports by volume have grown by just 3.6 per cent.

According to FDP, this discrepancy highlights the market’s need to expand its sourcing capabilities and add new regions of production.

“What we’ve seen in the lime space is truly incredible,” said Dax Cooke, FDP’s head of sales. “The push for origin diversification has grown tremendously. There’s a widespread understanding in the market that new regions of production need to be integrated into the supply chain.”

FDP, which brings in fresh lime from its subsidiaries in Colombia, Peru, and elsewhere, has seen exponential growth over the past few years. “Our customers have been able to increase their unit sales significantly by diversifying their sourcing strategies to include lime from South America,” Cooke said.

“To continue this momentum, we’ve added new key executives Jackie Carrillo and Dan Acevedo. Jackie and Dan will be supporting us at the IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, CA, on July 25-26.”

“Jackie has been both the largest buyer of limes in the world during her time as sourcing manager for Walmart and one of the largest sellers of limes during her time at Sicar Farms. By leveraging Jackie’s category knowledge, we will be able to improve pricing for our customers by placing the right fruit with the right clients.”

Carrillo commented: “It’s very exciting to be joining this team. FDP is at the forefront of an industry-wide evolution. While Mexico will continue to be a key supplier for the US market, maintaining security of supply will require a multi-origin approach. With Farm Direct Partners, my goal is to continue to work to reduce price volatility and improve stability for customers”.

Cooke said Acevedo brings experience with developing new-origin products into national and regional programmes. He will spearhead FDP’s business development and national marketing programmes, leveraging his knowledge of retail, food service, and wholesale markets across North America to allow us to better serve customers and improve pricing.

“For years I’ve been closely following the growth of FDP and the leading role that the company has played in developing Colombian lime exports,” Acevedo said. “Colombia is a country with incredible agricultural potential and it’s exciting to be a part of a company that’s playing a leading role in bringing Colombian produce to US consumers.

“I’ve also been very conscious of the need for origin diversification, not only in lime but across many product categories. Over my 25 years of experience in fresh produce, including Colombian lime and avocado most recently, I’ve come to understand that markets can’t come to over-rely on a single supplier, which in the case of lime is Mexico. Colombia and other countries can be a great hedge against volatility.”