Brett Jackson takes on new role at head of citrus grower-packer-exporter
Legacy Packing Australia has announced the appointment of Brett Jackson as the company’s new chief executive.
Jackson joins Legacy – which is part of the AC Foods Group owned by US-based Agriculture Capital – with over 25 years of experience working in horticulture and citrus businesses.
He commenced the role in the midst of the Australian Sumo Citrus season, one of the company’s key offerings, one of the opportunities that drew Jackson to the role.
“My previous experience working at smaller start-ups instilled in me a love for the early stages of operations, which is exactly where AC’s Australia division currently stands. I find this time incredibly exciting, brimming with opportunities to create something impactful,” said Jackson,
“What drew me specifically to AC was the allure of the Sumo Citrus, which deviated from the norm of dealing solely with commoditised products. In the agricultural industry, where being price takers is the norm, AC has successfully managed to de-commoditise Sumo Citrus. Having the opportunity to replicate this success in Australia and expand it into the Asian market is truly thrilling.”
Jackson said he believes there is an opportunity to replicate the success Sumo Citrus has had in other US.
“We have significant plantings coming into maturity over the next few years,” he noted.
“I am equally enthusiastic about working within a vertically integrated business model - being able to oversee the entire process, from growing to packing and selling, is the ideal approach for horticulture. It allows us to effectively manage costs and make well-informed long-term decisions.”
Jackson said he is excited to work with the highly skilled and dedicated team at Legacy Packing to prepare the business for future opportunities.
“Looking ahead, my primary focus for the business over the next four to five years is to optimise our systems for maximum efficiency, with the goal of reducing costs,” he said.
“As we triple our production with the maturation of Glen’s Hill fruit in the next few years, we have a significant amount of work ahead of us to ensure our packhouse is fully prepared to meet the increased demand.”
