OXNARD, CA - The Viva Fresh Expo provides an opportunity to highlight the best that the fresh produce industry has to offer. One supplier that will be showcasing its impressive programs is Mission Produce®, and I sat down with Galen Johnson, Senior Director of Sales, to get the inside scoop.
“At Viva Fresh, we’re highlighting the strength of our year-round avocado program. With our unparalleled sourcing, packing, and distribution network, including our Laredo, Texas, megacenter, we’re competitively positioned to support strong demand with speed and flexibility,” Galen began telling me. “We’re entering a key seasonal window, and having the right supply chain in place can make a meaningful difference.”
With avocados, Mission’s proximity to Mexico and its ability to move fruit quickly—sometimes reaching the Laredo facility in as little as two days—gives customers added flexibility when they need it most.
“We are the No. 1 exporter of avocados from Mexico, and we also operate two strategically located packhouses in Michoacán, enabling us to support customers through the end of the season and into the crop transition. Equipped with advanced fruit handling and bagging technology, our operations are designed to drive efficiency and consistency at scale,” Galen pointed out.
Mission will also be showcasing its mango program as the Mexican season kicks off for the company.
“Mexico is the cornerstone of United States mango supply, and our sourcing team follows the harvest from Chiapas up through Sinaloa, giving our customers access to a full range of key varieties throughout the season,” Galen said. “On the innovation front, we’ll be featuring our new lidded mango carton, honey clamshells, and mango bags, designed to support merchandising, improve handling, and ultimately help drive category growth at retail.”
Galen explained that on the mango side, Mission continues to invest in the category with the expectation that innovation, consistency, and strong merchandising support can help unlock additional opportunities. He said that Viva Fresh is a great moment to bring all of that together and have productive conversations about how to move forward as an industry.
“Viva Fresh is always a great opportunity to connect face-to-face with our customers, partners, and industry peers in a meaningful way. I’m especially looking forward to the conversations around what’s happening in the category right now—what’s working at retail, where foodservice demand is heading, and how we can continue to support both with practical, scalable solutions. Those discussions often spark new ideas and strengthen the partnerships that are so critical to moving the category forward,” Galen concluded.
With Viva Fresh taking place this week, be sure to have Mission Produce in your show floor plans. And stick with ANUK for more exclusive show coverage.
Companies in this Story
Mission Produce
We’ve grown to become the world's trailblazer in producing, distributing, and marketing fresh Hass avocados. With…
