ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. — Talley Farms, a fourth generation family farming operation located in California’s Arroyo Grande Valley, today announced that it has named produce industry veteran Derek Sass as sales manager for the company, which this year celebrates 70 years of farming in the fertile region near the central Pacific coast.
“We are pleased to welcome Derek to the Talley Farms family,” said Todd Talley, chief financial officer and co-owner of Talley Farms. “He is a consummate professional who has spent his entire career working and building relationships within the produce industry. His successful track record in sales and commodities management will serve him well as part of our team.”
Leveraging 20 years of industry experience, Sass will focus, initially, on business development for new retail accounts, including national chains, mass market, regional chains, independents, and wholesalers servicing retail accounts. He will also be tasked with expanding Talley Farms’ commodity offerings.
“We anticipate 2018 to be a year of growth. Talley Farms has increased its growing capacity over the last couple of years to be able to provide our clients with year-round product availability. Derek will play an important role in broadening our customer base as we continue our company expansion,” said Talley.
Sass was formerly a national account executive with Beachside Produce, where he led the company’s strawberry program. Prior to that, he was the procurement manager for Markon, Inc., where he oversaw quality control and managed multiple commodities.
Sass holds a degree in agribusiness from Cal Poly of San Luis Obispo.
“When Talley Farms’ founder, Oliver Talley, started growing vegetables in 1948, he endeavored to grow choice produce and to treat people with kindness and respect. Seventy years later, Talley Farms maintains the same commitments to quality, responsible growing practices, food safety, integrity in business relationships, and employee care,” said Sass. “I appreciate that the Talley family has stayed true to Oliver Talley’s vision, and I am proud to join Talley Farms as sales manager. I look forward to working with our retail clients to provide them with delicious, premium quality fruits and vegetables.”
Talley Farms is a fourth generation family-owned growing operation located on California’s central coast in the Arroyo Grande and Edna Valleys. Located just seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, Talley Farms’ moderate climate with warm days and cool ocean breeze at night allows for a year round growing season. The company is committed to healthy, sustainable growing practices, and produces conventional and organic fruits and vegetables, including red and green bell peppers, napa cabbage, cilantro, spinach, heirloom tomatoes, corn, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, lemons, and avocados. In addition to commercial sales, the company provides produce for Talley Farms Fresh Harvest, a CSA home-delivery subscription program serving California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The Talley family also owns and operates Talley Vineyards, one of California’s finest producers of estate bottled chardonnay and pinot noir. More information about Talley Farms is available atwww.talleyfarms.com.
Source: Talley Farms