30 Oct The Snack features Humble & Hungry: The FreshSource Way
The Snack is an industry favorite trade publication, well regarded for its features on trends and product education as well as its high production standards. Particularly though, it is loved by all for its in-depth profiles on industry professionals, and in this issue, FreshSource’s own people are in the spotlight.
FreshSource CEO and founder Robert Thompson has a vision of a complete reimagining of the fresh produce industry. He says, “Providing value … is what drives and motivates us.” The company was built to fill a need that was not being met—to execute sales plans at the store level. Boots on the ground were missing, just where they were needed most.
Under Mr. Thompson’s leadership, FreshSource has become a driver of innovation across products, packaging, ingredients, and how to go to markets, as well as a crucial resource for principals and retailers. FreshSource thinks of itself as a full-service sales and merchandising support company that has the ability to say yes to anything.
The company’s progressive mindset includes seeking diversity of experience at the top. It looks to hire talented retailers who can then bring their range of personal experience to add to the vision for retail support the company wants to put into place—retail professionals like Chad Miller, Scot Olson, and Mike Casazza, key members of the leadership group. FreshSource also develops its own people, giving them room to grow into leadership roles, as it has for Natalie Machado.
One sure measure of the success of FreshSource’s vision and growth can be seen in how frequently its principals ask the company to expand its operations into new territories.
