The Florette Lifetime Achievement award went to the accomplished and acclaimed Jacques Onona. As well as driving a successful international business, Jacques Onona International, Onona has served the industry through a long and committed involvement with the Fruit Importers Association, including several spells as chairman, and throughout the transitional period that led to the formation of the Fresh Produce Consortium, which he also served as a member of the Importers’ Committee, at many meetings in the UK and Brussels. He has also been a strong voice for the UK trade in Europe, serving as UK delegate, and also as chairman of the European body, Eucofel.
Born in Morocco, 1937, Onona started working in the north African country for L Barber, a company mainly involved in the shipping and insurance trades, and it was through the contacts he built there that he was able to get his first steps on the ladder in the fruit and vegetable business. By 1960, he was offered the opportunity to move to London to run Barber’s office, and to increase the fresh produce activities of the company, a role which he carried out with a great deal of success.
In 1971, Jacques established his own, eponymous company, dealing in Moroccan and Spanish produce, but specialising in French. He quickly became recognised as one of the UK’s largest French apple importers for the wholesale markets. In the early days of supermarket development, he was also one of the pioneer suppliers to this section of the trade and was instrumental in creating a business for onions from the Camargue region of France with UK customers. In recognition of his efforts, Jacques was given the Chevalier du Merite National award, for services to trade between France and the UK.
After 21 years of uninterrupted growth, Jacques sold his business to Albert Fisher, in 1992. He stayed with the group until 1999, when he left and formed Jacques Onona International, which he continues to run today.
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