MURRIETTA, CA - This is an exciting time of year for all of us within the industry. PMA Fresh Summit is right around the corner, and the promise of autumnal harvest and retail programs are setting in. For West Pak’s Joe Nava, his excitement stems partly from becoming the company’s new Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Within this new role, he will explore new territories and help strengthen the company’s customer relationships.
"I have seen all of the struggles that every sales rep experiences, from bringing on accounts to developing and ultimately keeping them. My experience on the operational side has given me a unique perspective to help our team work together with a goal to provide the ultimate service and freshness to the customer," Nava stated. “West Pak has afforded me the ability to connect with our retail customers as well as current foodservice and wholesalers to strengthen our relationships and help grow our businesses. The company is allowing me to develop accounts and bring new ones to the table freely, and so far, there's a lot of positive feedback."
Prior to starting at West Pak, Nava got his degree in agriculture business from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His experience ranges from sales and sales management to forecasting, account management, product development, supply chain, and inventory management. With his new role in Sales & Business Development at West Pak, he'll be heavily engaged with the leadership and development of its sales team. As the company continues to grow, Nava will aid in finding new talent. He will also be heavily involved in a wide variety of initiatives and decision making across marketing and research and development campaigns.
“Having Joe onboard has been a tremendous asset,” added Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing Doug Meyer. “He is a natural when it comes to customer development and top-to-top customer relationships. Heading into PMA, Joe and the entire sales and marketing team have been working diligently to ensure a great turnout with an amazing customer experience. Thanks to their efforts, we anticipate a highly successful show. Everyone is pumped up and ready for Fresh Summit!”
As the company gears up for the highly-anticipated trade show, Nava remarked that he is drawn to the networking opportunities and foot traffic that will drive customers new and old to West Pak’s booth.
"We have such incredible talent with so many years of combined knowledge in the industry. That's why I'm thrilled to showcase our team to the industry," stated Nava. "To top it off, with CEO Mario Pacheco in attendance, it's an excellent opportunity for customers to get to know the head of our avocado family. I’m also looking forward to chatting about our bagged avocados program, which is different from anybody else in the industry. I love the creativity with the I Love Avocados (brand), Viva Avocados, California Gold, and Lil' Cados, plus the value that the heart-healthy mark on the bags brings to the table—it's enormous and is of great value to our retailers. No one else has these great retail brands, but we do. And I can't wait to share!”
Not only is Nava passionate about the company’s many programs, he is passionate about West Pak’s family-owned status, believing that the company genuinely cares about its customers, growers, and employees.
"West Pak is a true California avocado grower," added Nava. "This sits well with our customers because a successful produce company should know and respect the avocado journey from the tree to the store, or to the plate for foodservice. West Pak understands the process and respects what it takes to grow and deliver a premium avocado."
According to a press release, Nava feels as though West Pak is poised on the precipice of significant growth. A key component of this is West Pak’s investment in other countries of origin. As national avocado consumption continues to climb, the company looks to other sources outside of Mexico to ensure demand is met. It currently sources both Peruvian and Chilean avocados. Nava also noted that one of West Pak’s strengths lies within the strategic locations of its distribution warehouses, which help deliver the freshest avocados possible to its customers.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we cover all industry-related news leading up to PMA Fresh Summit.
