SALINAS, CA - Sometimes moving forward means going back to your roots. For Lisa Davis, this dream came true when she accepted the role of Senior Manager of Customer Agriculture Relations at Bonduelle Fresh Americas—Home of Ready Pac Foods (BFA). While BFA is a new company in her fresh produce career, the move will allow her to more than reminisce about her agricultural operations background and deep passion for the land.
“I am excited about this opportunity and I have already learned so much about Bonduelle that I am nothing short of amazed at what a forward-thinking and dynamic family company it is,” Lisa shares with me, adding that the real excitement is that they created this unique position that allows her to use everything she has learned in the industry to this day from marketing to retail sales and business development. “Now, I get to go back to where it all starts, and right in my backyard. I am front-facing with growers to understand and communicate what is happening in the field while also engaging with our sales team and with customers. I am enthusiastic about the synergy between sales, customer, and our Ag OPS team. I must say I love being a part of a stellar and Dynamic Ag Ops organization. With this, I can speak to our sales team and the customer on grower happenings to help understand and support them. In other words, ‘crop to customer’ is a great way to look at my new role.”
One of the exciting elements about this position for Lisa is that it will allow her room to grow and create the best opportunities for Bonduelle Fresh Americas, its customers and its grower relationships, all based out of the Salinas, California, office.
“We are very excited to welcome Lisa as a new team member joining the commercial team to amplify our status as an agricultural leader with our customers and in the ag community,” Leif Hickman, Vice President of Commercial Development, tells me. “Lisa's role is unique and will create a new dynamic to elevate our role as a trusted adviser in our relationship with our customers while expanding our relevance as a premier produce and plant-based products company.”
With Lisa’s experience in agriculture, sales and marketing, and the credibility she has already established with customers, her presence on the team will accelerate the company’s growth and continue to expand the Bonduelle Fresh Americas difference.
So what are some of the key responsibilities of Lisa’s role that will surely keep her busy? Far from few!
As Senior Manager of Customer Agriculture Relations, she will provide proactive communication on growing practices and crop expectations while coordinating and leading customer field tours in the growing regions. Additionally, she will integrate sales, marketing, and agriculture production activities into the company fold and develop and execute communication solutions that are customer- and sales-centric.
Add in her responsibility to work closely with Bonduelle's industry-leading Food Safety team to strategize, develop, and increase customer awareness of food safety practices while employing experience in negotiating value-added salad customer contracts, and Lisa's day is just beginning.
Her position will also take her through understanding the private label process in order to design contract negotiations in tandem with focusing on sales communications for key ag weather events, transition communication management, and food safety events.
“Lisa's depth of experience will also offer all of us new opportunities to learn about how we improve upon and maximize our current efforts, so it's likely her role will expand to include other aspects of commercial development in the coming weeks and months,” Leif expresses.
Congrats, Lisa, on this most recent move—it is always a joy to watch you grow and help others grow as well!
