Ralf Hörstgen, former key account management director at Univeg Germany, has been appointed as the new commercial director of Fresh Del Monte Germany.
A spokesperson for the group welcomed the appointment and praised Hörstgen's broad knowledge of the European and international fresh fruit and vegetable business.
'Ralf has extensive experience in the fruit industry and has worked successfully in various leadership roles at home and abroad,' the spokesperson said.
Fresh Del Monte added that its new director would work to ensure that the company's Hamburg team – which has overall responsibility for European sales operations – and the global group as a whole continued to supply Del Monte-branded fresh produce at the same level of 'renowned quality' customers had come to expect.
Hörstgen left major German fruit importer-marketer Cobana Fruchtring in late 2010 to join Univeg, where he reported directly to chief executive Francis Kint.
Just 10 months earlier, he had moved to the Hamburg-based company from the Rotterdam office of Ireland-based tropical produce group Fyffes, where he was managing director.
Prior to that, he worked as chief executive of Chiquita Germany, based at its office in Duisburg.
