BeeHero names new Pacific Northwest account executive
BeeHero recently announced Shelbi Perkins has joined the company to serve fruit growers across the Pacific Northwest, according to a news release.
“We are thrilled that Shelbi is joining BeeHero,” said Ze’ev Barylka, BeeHero’s chief sales and marketing officer. “Her deep understanding of the market and the needs of fruit growers will be a huge asset for the company as we expand our precision pollination services to the apple, cherry, pear and blueberry growers of Washington and Oregon.”
Perkins, whose previous role was as grower success manager at smart farming innovator Fieldin, brings an extensive background in agriculture, with over a decade of experience in the produce industry — including six years at Stemilt Growers.
“I am excited to key into one of the only remaining aspects of the tree-fruit and berry industry that is yet to benefit from data-driven decision-making,” Perkins said. “BeeHero’s precision pollination is a game-changer for growers looking to maximize their pollination ROI.”
For more information, visit: beehero.io.
Honeybear Brands hires national sales director
Honeybear Brands, a grower, packer, shipper and developer of premium apples, has hired Rebecca Meyers to fill a new role within the company as national sales director, according to a news release. Meyers, who has more than 20 years of experience in the fruit industry, joins Honeybear after working most recently for Auvil Fruit Co. In this new role, she will maintain existing customer relationships and also lead the business development team.
“Her experience, as well as being a people-person, will help provide us with a new lens on driving sales in an evolving retail landscape,” Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing at Honeybear Brands, said in the release. “As our company continues to expand our growing and production in both Washington state and the Midwest, her expertise will be critical as we bring the Honeybear branded products to more markets.”
Meyers grew up in Western Massachusetts, receiving her degree in food marketing from Saint Jospeh’s University. She assumed her first role at C&S Wholesale Grocers immediately upon graduation.
“I’m extremely excited to be working for a company with a heritage grower background, but who has been able to develop a globally recognized brand synonymous with quality,” said Meyers. “It has always been a priority of mine to ensure I’m providing my customers with an exceptional product that I, too, can be proud to share with my own family and friends.”
For more information, visit: honeybearbrands.com.
WECO introduces 360Tek optical sorter for blueberries
WECO, a member of the Duravant food sorting and handling solutions group, recently introduced its new 360Tek optical sorter for blueberries, according to a news release.
“Consumer expectations for blueberry quality are rising — shoppers now want flawless fruit in every clamshell. Our new 360Tek sorter is the perfect addition to our Sortivator portfolio of solutions, helping packers achieve the most accurate final sort possible in the smallest footprint,” said Eric Horner, vice president of WECO. “With its unique roller design, the 360Tek is half the size of similar fine-defect sorters on the market while achieving twice the throughput, maintaining consistently high performance and offering a superior ROI. It’s a game-changer for the blueberry industry.”
WECO’s 360Tek can inspect up to 8,000 pounds of berries per hour and can remove product with a wide range of defects, including scars, splits and rubs, as well as extraneous vegetable matter such as stems and flowers. It can also separate large, jumbo berries into a separate stream. The equipment will be on display during the Global Produce and Floral Show (booth C-3129) Oct. 17–19 in Atlanta, Georgia, and at the Pack Expo (booth S-2860) Nov. 3–6 in Chicago, Illinois.
For more information, visit: wecotek.com.
Dillen picked to fulfill new EU role for AIGN
With a larger membership and increased opportunities available for the Associated International Group of Nurseries in the European Union, the management team recently announced that AIGN has contracted with Willy Dillen to fill a new role in the EU, according to a news release. AIGN handles intellectual property management of tree fruits and has more than three decades of experience commercializing new proprietary varieties.
“We are thrilled to find someone with the education and background so complementary to the goals and mission of AIGN,” said Lynnell Brandt, independent chair of AIGN’s board of directors, in the release.
Dillen is the proprietor of Acutifolius, where he offers services as a freelance agricultural advisor and consultant between science, business and legal entities in the arena of new fruit varieties. He has more than 20 years of experience in the tree fruit industry and holds a master’s degree in agronomy, a doctorate in biotechnology and an MBA in international business. Based in Belgium, Dillen will communicate with scientists, breeders and nurserymen on behalf of AIGN and will assist in managing license agreements and royalty collection.
“I look forward to contributing my expertise to AIGN, a leader in our industry,” said Dillen. “It is an exciting prospect to be involved in building relationships between the AIGN members, breeders and other stakeholders, with the shared goal of bringing great new fruit varieties to the consumer.”
For more information, visit: aign.org.
Leave A Comment