VANCOUVER, CANADA - What better time to bolster your leadership than ahead of a big expansion opportunity? Oppy has set the stage for its showcase at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s (CPMA) Fresh Week, adding Canadian Category Development to Aaron Quon’s role, who currently serves as the Executive Director of Greenhouse.
“I find our team is much more accessible through these virtual portals than busy show days with back-to-back meetings,” said Quon, anticipating more interaction and new relationships that may not have happened in the usual trade show setting. Like many of us, Quon looks forward to the day he can see colleagues in-person when it’s safe to do so. “It allows for more opportunities to connect because anybody can pop in. CPMA does such a great job at bringing everyone together during the convention, I’m really looking forward to this forum.”
Having spent the last 13 years building Oppy’s North American greenhouse business within the sector’s complex and highly competitive space, Quon stepped into his new role just a few short months ago. Continuing to guide the greenhouse team, Quon’s added responsibility is to develop import and off-shore programs for Oppy’s Canadian sales team.
Quon’s focus is to identify opportunities specific to the Canadian market. While some import produce items are not allowed into the U.S., they may pose a significant opportunity for Canada, a press release noted.
“Although we are a global company, regulations apply to certain items that impact our business. While we may not be able to bring them to the U.S. market, our acute focus on Canada holds a lot of exciting connection points,” Quon said.
Quon has teamed up with Oppy’s South Africa-based Grower Relations expert Sila Louw, who brings deep local knowledge of various key categories and international operations, as well as Oppy’s Mexican Sourcing Strategist Sergio Ruiz and Peruvian partner Agroretail to help scan the landscape. Currently looking at countries of origin such as India, Australia, and Morocco along with varieties from grapes, citrus, and stonefruit, Oppy is poised to reframe its Canadian product offerings in the near future.
Having developed a strong organic Peruvian ginger program in the U.S. recently and expansion plans into Canada on the horizon, Oppy plans to feature the category in its CPMA new product showcase. Visit Oppy’s showcase during Fresh Week for a complimentary gift and stop by the virtual booth to meet with the team.
Congrats to Aaron Quon on taking over this new role!
