Vertical farming company Kalera, Orlando, Fla., has hired Marc Jennings as vice president of foodservice sales and Mark Gagnon as vice president of sales for retail accounts.
Gagnon most recently was vice president of sales-national accounts at Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc., where he has been in sales for almost 6 ½ years. Before that, he was senior director of sales at Chobani. Other roles in the industry were the national director of sales for pineapples at Chiquita Brands International, and national accounts manager for Dole Food Co., where Gagnon worked more than 14 years.
Jennings most recently was chief commercial officer at Martin Preferred Foods, a processor and distributor of meat and specialty products to foodservice and retail clients. He also was senior vice president of sales and marketing at Food Services of America, vice president of Cargill Foodservice (among other roles) at Cargill, and in sales at Mission Foods and Vitality Foodservice Inc.
“With Mark’s proven track record of account development with key retailers, and Marc’s international manufacturing and distribution background, I have confidence in their ability to continue Kalera’s momentum in building our network of strategic partners as we grow Kalera’s reach,” CEO Daniel Malechuk said in a new release.
Kalera plans to open its fifth production facility in 2021 in Colorado, serving the Denver area.
Other company milestones, according to the news release, are:
- The opening of its second Orlando facility in March, supplying retailers, foodservice distributors and resorts;
- The opening of its third facility is planned in early 2021 in Atlanta; and
- The opening of Kalera’s fourth production facility is planned for Houston next spring.
Related stories:
Indoor, vertical grower Kalera to add new facility in Atlanta
Eco Convergence announces name change, construction of new facility