Sakata Seed America is pleased to announce Robb Bertels as the company’s new Retail Category Manager. With nearly 30 years of experience in the industry, Robb brings a robust background to the position which allows Sakata to better serve and connect with retail and foodservice sectors and their unique needs.
Robb joins the team just in time for Sakata’s annual California Field Days event, which invites seed dealers, grower/shippers, retail buyers and other industry professionals to Sakata’s Woodland and Salinas facilities to showcase innovative breeding efforts and top products.
Robb is a dynamic industry professional with experience spanning from VP/Publisher for publications including The Packer, Produce Merchandising and Citrus & Vegetable to serving as VP of Marketing at Mission Produce for five years.
‘I’m very excited about working at Sakata. The company has a long history in seed production in the Americas, as well as globally. What attracted me to the company is its reputation as a high-quality organization with great products, an outstanding culture and exceptional people,’ says Bertels.
Effective August 12th, Robb will be responsible for connecting new Sakata product development and trends to retail partners by communicating the downstream benefits of top Sakata products for retail sector. This includes the company’s Infinite Gold cantaloupe and specialty tomato programs, which both focus on flavor as a key component.
“At Sakata, we strive to breed and produce varieties that benefit all levels of the supply chain. Robb brings a deep understanding and respect for the industry to this role and we look forward to focusing on streamlined communication down the supply chain to ultimately provide the best quality products to consumers,” states John Nelson, VP of Sakata Seed America.
To visit Sakata’s upcoming trials, please RSVP on Sakata’s website. If you would like to reach out to Robb, please email vegetables@sakata.com.
