Capistrano Beach-based Stonehill Produce (SHP) has hired avocado industry veteran Aaron Acosta to become its new Manager of Corporate Relationships.
Acosta will report to CEO and Founder Keith Slattery and work out of the company’s new warehouse facility on the border in McAllen, Texas. He will be responsible for Research, Strategy, Messaging, and Metrics.
Prior to joining Stonehill, Acosta was Corporate Relationships Manager at Villita Avocados–also based in McAllen. During his 10-year stint with Villita working with national retailers, Acosta cultivated a keen understanding of the produce landscape. His primary goal was to develop innovative programs that gave local and regional retailers a national procurement capacity. Inside those partnerships is where he developed a “not just another purchase order” mindset that looked beyond dollars and cents to deliver consumer synergy and value to his retail customers.
Acosta is currently a Director of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) and an Alternate Director on the Hass Avocado Board (HAB).
Before committing to a career in produce, Acosta was a risk-analysis expert in the banking industry where he managed large loan portfolios.
Acosta called joining Stonehill “a professional high point in my career with loads of upside for everyone on the team.” One of Stonehill’s biggest draws for Acosta is the company’s reputation as the number one source of market intel on the Mexican avocado industry.
Here’s how he put it:
“The depth of knowledge on this team is staggering. There isn’t a single detail that gets by this group. Everything imaginable is put into its proprietary 360o Knowledge Generator. I can’t wait to be a part of that process.”