Avocado marketer, Index Fresh, has announced the appointment of Santiago Pacheco, Manrique Palacios, and Juan Valdez in new roles to lead teams across California and Texas.
Over the last six months the California-based company hired Santiago Pacheco as VP of Operations, while Manrique Palacios transitioned to his new role as Plant Manager, Bloomington (CA) and Juan Valdez to Distribution Center Manager, Pharr (TX).
Pacheco, as VP of Operations, oversees Index Fresh facilities in Bloomington and Pharr, logistics and transportation, as well as all third-party warehouses and ripening centers across the country. According to Index Fresh, with over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Pacheco joins the company with a clear understanding of operations from planning, production, procurement, transportation, warehouse operations, customer service, human resources, to maintenance and engineering, from his previous roles at Earthbound Farm / Whitewave Foods, Ready Pac Foods, and Juice Harvest / Evolution Juices. He joined Index Fresh in June of 2018. “I enjoy that people go out of their way to teach you the avocado business at Index Fresh. I love eating avocados, and I am very happy to be a part of a team that sells and distributes healthy food while building meaningful partnerships,” said Santiago Pacheco.
Left to right: Juan Valdez, Manrique Palacios, and Santiago Pacheco
Manrique Palacios joined Index Fresh in June, 2017, as the Distribution Center Manager of the then newly-opened Pharr facility. This year, he was promoted to Plant Manager in Bloomington. Palacios helped start up the Index Fresh facility in Pharr, TX, building a high-performance team to create a successful distribution and packing operation for the company. In his new role, he is responsible for overall plant operation in Bloomington including packing, ripening, warehouse management, procurement, demand planning, and shipping and receiving. Palacios brings over 15 years of supply chain, logistics, project management, and operations experience in consumer packaging goods, fresh produce, import/export, and transportation from his previous roles at PepsiCo, Verenium Corporation, and Wonderful Citrus. “Running the Texas facility helped me learn about the avocado industry. I’ve gained a strong understanding of operations at Index Fresh as I continue learning about the business. Now, I’m looking forward to working even more closely with our great team in California to run a safe and efficient operation,” said Palacios.
Another familiar face at Index Fresh is Juan Valdez, who has stepped up as Distribution Center Manager in Pharr, TX. He joined the Index Fresh Pharr team as Warehouse Manager in September, 2017, working closely with his predecessor, Manrique Palacios. His familiarity with the operations at Index Fresh, especially the Pharr facility, strengthens his transition into overseeing overall plant operations in Texas. The Texas native brings with him years of experience in produce and distribution, specializing in warehouse management. “I’m looking forward to grow as a leader at a company that continually demands excellence, while still promoting a healthy and positive work environment. And, a big plus is that I love avocados,” said Valdez.
For more information:
Sofia Schlapkohl
Index Fresh
Ph: +1 (909) 877-1577
sschlapkohl@indexfresh.com
www.indexfresh.com