US avocado marketer Index Fresh has made three key appointments to strengthen its teams in California and Texas.
Santiago Pacheco has been hired as vice president of operations and Manrique Palacios has moved to a new role as plant manager in the company’s Bloomington, California facility, while Juan Valdez is named distribution centre manager for Pharr, Texas.
Pacheco, who joined Index Fresh last year and brings over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, will oversee the company’s facilities in Bloomington and Pharr, logistics and transportation, as well as all third-party warehouses and ripening centres across the country.
“I enjoy that people go out of their way to teach you the avocado business at Index Fresh,” he said. “I love eating avocados, and I am very happy to be a part of a team that sells and distributes healthy food while building meaningful partnerships.”
Palacios joined Index Fresh in June 2017, as the distribution centre manager of the then newly-opened Pharr facility. This year, he was promoted to plant manager in Bloomington.
Palacios helped start up the state-of-the-art Index Fresh facility in Pharr, TX, building a high-performance team to create a successful distribution and packing operation for the company.
He has over 15 years of experience in supply chain, logistics, project management and operations in consumer packaging goods, fresh produce and transportation.
“Running the Texas facility helped me learn about the avocado industry. I’ve gained a strong understanding of operations at Index Fresh as I continue learning about the business,” he said.
“Now, I’m looking forward to working even more closely with our great team in California to run a safe and efficient operation.”
Valdez, who has stepped up as distribution centre manager in Pharr, joined the Index Fresh Pharr team as warehouse manager in September 2017.
The Texas native brings with him years of experience in produce and distribution, specialising in warehouse management.
“I’m looking forward to grow as a leader at a company that continually demands excellence, while still promoting a healthy and positive work environment. And, a big plus is that I love avocados,” said Valdez.
