CORAL GABLES, FL - PMA Fresh Summit is only days away, which might as well be hours in fresh produce time. All the excitement innovators of our industry have teased will finally be unveiled, and among those known for delivering on the new and cutting-edge is Del Monte Fresh. Having already debuted a new Better Break™ convenience line of prepared meals in recent weeks, and being known for keeping its lips sealed, the company is sure to have more for us when PMA leaders cut that red ribbon in Anaheim, California.
Among those to be present on the floor is longtime leader and current President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Youssef Zakharia, who has held his current position since November 2016, but was a decision maker for the company long before that.
According to the company, Zakharia served as Executive Vice President in the months leading up to being named President and COO, and was Vice President, Europe and Africa, from January to August of that same year.
Zakharia’s expertise stretches into sealing solutions, applications expertise, and equipment reliability products, an industry he worked as a leader in for several years before jumping to the food business with Del Monte Fresh in 2000. Since then, he has continued to prove a valuable captain with global prowess spanning Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and, most recently, North America.
Longtime Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh has stated that Zakharia’s impressive track record of strategic and operational accomplishments and wealth of experience across Del Monte Fresh’s global operations make him the ideal person for his position, and that he has proven to be a successful and trusted leader to the organization—words not to be taken lightly from a man who has held his current post for more than 20 years.
When looking at how to gain ground in the constant race for premium grocery real estate, brands that have built something of a household name for themselves like Del Monte Fresh grab attention, as do, of course, those that lead them.
So, as we peruse the show floor this weekend for what 2020 and beyond holds for our industry, believe that we will be stopping by booth #1036 for a sneak peek and to say hello to the Del Monte Fresh team.
