One of Europe’s leading fresh produce buyers is set to join Dutch fresh produce group Van Rijn at the start of July. Andreas Allenspach, currently lead category manager for fruit and vegetables at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives in Zurich, Switzerland, is due to take a sabbatical at the end of January before taking up a new role as managing director of Van Rijn Trading.
Dutch seed company Nunhems has announced the appointment of Vicente Navarro Cortes as its new managing director strategy. Mr Navarro, 50, joined the Nunhems management board on 1 January 2011, and will be located in Picaña, Spain, according to the group.
Gerrit and All van der Merwe, owners of the ALG Citrus Estate in the Cape region, have been named South Africa’s Farmers of the Year, a prestigious award conveyed annually by the Agricultural Writers of South Africa for best performance in the country’s agricultural sector.
New Zealand kiwifruit and avocado supplier Satara Cooperative Group has appointed Tom Wilson as its new managing director, a role he has filled for the past eight months on a temporary basis.
Jorge Brotons, president of leading Spanish importer Bonnysa, has been reelected as president of Spanish fresh produce producer-exporter federation Fepex. As agreed at the association’s AGM, Mr Brotons will serve for another four years at the group’s head.
German fruit importer-distributor Pilz Schindler has announced that its Don Limón lime brand has appointed former Cobana Fruchtring executive Rüdiger Bargholz as its new sales director.
Renzo Piraccini has been appointed as the new chief executive of leading Italian fresh produce cooperative Apofruit Italia, putting into context his recent decision to step down as managing director of Italian marketing and research agency CSO.
The Californian Tree Fruit Agreement has cut its personnel from 14 to eight, with notable casualties including director of marketing Gordon Smith (above) and director of industry relations Dale Janzen.
