Stephan Weist, former director of Chiquita Germany & Austria, has officially taken up the role of managing director at Landgard, Germany's largest marketing organisation for flowers and plants, as well as a major supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Together with fellow directors Peter Knüttgen and Marc Beckmann, Mr Weist heads up a new management team that is reported to be embarking on a significant restructuring and expansion of the Landgard Group's fresh produce business.
Matthias Mendel, who has been working with the company since July, will continue to oversee management of the group's logistics operations.
Following the acquisition of import service provider Peter Vetter at the start of 2009, Landgard has confirmed its position as one of the leading fresh produce distributors operating in the European market.
The company's fruit and vegetable business is concentrated mainly in Germany, although it also has a network of subsidiaries covering Austria, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Slovakia.
