Santa Maria, CA – Azzule Systems announced Bruce Knobeloch has joined their team as Senior Vice President of Business Development.
In this newly created role, Mr. Knobeloch will drive the understanding, coordination, and communication of Azzule Systems’ supply chain solutions within the fresh produce and fresh foods industries. His immediate focus will involve interaction with current and future customers—gaining their insight regarding the complex compliance issues faced by buyers and sellers throughout the supply chain.
Mr. Knobeloch was most recently president of River Ranch Fresh Foods, following the acquisition of River Ranch by Taylor Fresh Foods in August 2010. His prior experience was in marketing and operations roles with River Ranch after joining the company in 2002.
“I am incredibly excited to be joining the Azzule team,” Bruce said. “Their mission of providing simple solutions to complex issues in the food supply chain directly applies to the immediate and long-term needs of the fresh produce industry. I believe my understanding and experience on both sides of the supply chain will be beneficial to the company and our customers moving forward. This is an incredible team, which is very focused on delivering the best in class tools to support our customers’ needs. ”
Mr. Knobeloch has over 35 years of experience in the produce and supermarket industries. In addition to his tenure at River Ranch, he has held various positions on the supply side, including Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing (Apio, Inc.), Chief Operating Officer (Apio, Inc.), and Vice President of Retail Sales (e-commerce provider Buyproduce.com). Bruce began his career at Schnuck Markets in St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked for 26 years—progressing from bagger and produce clerk, to produce buyer and category manager, to Director of Produce and Floral, where he spent his last 10 years with the company.
During his career, Bruce has also had the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors for the United Fresh Produce Association, the Produce Marketing Association, and the Alliance for Food & Farming.
“One of my personal goals has been to use my skills and knowledge to help bridge interaction within the industry, which is the core component of the overall mission and vision of Azzule. I believe Azzule, which has a strong history of supporting its customers, is uniquely positioned to help address the challenges our industry faces now and into the future. The overall supply chain continues to become more complex, and systems that enable all parties to interact easily and effectively are paramount to
sustainable, profitable growth,” Bruce continued. “All the pieces are here—a highly intelligent and knowledgeable team, a robust and ever-expanding database and systems support network, a commitment to being world class in concept and customer service, and a spirit of entrepreneurship which is driving innovation. At the risk of repeating myself, I am very excited to be joining this outstanding team.”
Nadia Pasco, CEO of Azzule Systems, shared, “Bruce’s considerable experience working on both sides of the supply chain offers our team of developers, analysts, and food safety specialists a perspective of the fresh produce industry only gained after over three decades of focused attention. The fresh produce industry’s complexity necessitates the communication gifts that Bruce brings to Azzule. We look forward to a better understanding of expectations and capabilities between Azzule and each and every one of our supporters in the industry.”
Additionally, Charles Stoffers, Chairman of Azzule System’s Board of Directors also shared, “We consider ourselves very fortunate to have a person with Bruce’s grasp of the strengths and capabilities of the fresh produce industry’s supply chain. The current pressures on fresh produce call for unprecedented improvements in communication and trust between and among all parties. Bruce’s unique career made him the ideal candidate for Azzule in providing a bridge between all players involved in addressing food safety concerns.”
About Azzule
Azzule is a leading provider of global data management solutions throughout all levels of the supply chain. We deliver secure, efficient, cost-effective storage, distribution, and analysis of the data needed to support interaction between buyers and sellers within any supply chain. Azzule mirrors the physical movement of a product or service through the supply chain with the simultaneous movement of relevant data. We can support any data impacting your decisions—whether related to food safety, quality, sustainability, social accountability, insurance, authenticity (provenance), and more…
Team Azzule is a dynamic group of programming specialists, project coordinators, and industry experts working together to develop and provide first-rate, data-driven, supply chain solutions—supported by world-class customer service.
Source: Azzule