Walla Walla, WA – Dewight Hall, President and CEO of Columbia Fresh Produce announced that Rick Bella, former Produce Program Director of Chicago based Feeding America, will join his team to assist in the business development and marketing of their hunger relief fresh produce division. Bella, from Chicago, will assist the sales team in developing fresh produce programs with hunger relief organizations across the country. “We are excited to have Rick join our team,” said Dewight Hall. “His extensive experience in fresh produce and hunger relief will be a great complement to our current efforts.”
Bella has been in the industry for over 30 years, with 12 years in hunger relief at both Feeding America and Oklahoma City based, Feed The Children. Mr. Bella’s position at Columbia Fresh Produce will be Director of Business Development and Marketing. Bella joined Feeding America in 1999 when the fresh produce program initiative began. Over the next decade, fresh produce grew to the number one food commodity, distributed through a network of over 200 food banks providing over 100 million pounds of fresh produce annually. His innovative approach to capturing fresh produce early in the supply chain provided food banks with a consistent source of higher quality produce in easy to distribute, retail type packs/sizes that food bank recipients desired.
Bella has been in the industry for over 30 years, with 12 years in hunger relief at both Feeding America and Oklahoma City based, Feed The Children. Mr. Bella’s position at Columbia Fresh Produce will be Director of Business Development and Marketing. Bella joined Feeding America in 1999 when the fresh produce program initiative began. Over the next decade, fresh produce grew to the number one food commodity, distributed through a network of over 200 food banks providing over 100 million pounds of fresh produce annually. His innovative approach to capturing fresh produce early in the supply chain provided food banks with a consistent source of higher quality produce in easy to distribute, retail type packs/sizes that food bank recipients desired.
Mr. Bella’s background positions include Director of Produce at the Midland Grocery in Westville, IN, a division of Milwaukee based Roundy’s Grocers, and Director of Produce, Deli, and Bakery operations at Fairplay Finer Foods, a Chicago-based supermarket chain.
“This position allows me to come full circle in the hunger relief fresh produce supply chain,” said Bella. “I am looking forward to assisting the food bank network again, and hope my knowledge and experience in this area will allow me to expand fresh produce usage with those who need it most, our nation’s hungry,” he added. “Our goal will be to provide fresh produce at the lowest possible price while maintaining quality and variety for our customers.”
Columbia Fresh Produce is located in Walla Walla, WA and serves a diverse customer base across the United States. Whether your needs are 10 pallets or 10 truckloads, they can meet your needs, utilizing a rich history of relationships with growers around the country, coupled with fruit from their own orchards, they are able to offer a well-rounded variety of fresh produce options. They streamline the process by partnering with growers, packers and their own trucking company, Columbia Fresh Transportation Services. Find out more at www.columbiafreshproduce.com
Source: Columbia Fresh Produce