Kees de Kat will be the new managing director at cooperative Growers United. He succeeds Jan Opschoor, who last week announced his departure at the end of this year. Kees has broad experience, both on the retail side and on the producer side. For the past 12.5 years, he has been Managing Director at Coöperatie FruitMasters. De Kat completed his duties before the summer to take a break and consider what the next step would be. This makes him available at short notice and allows Jan to induct him into the fruit-vegetable cooperative Growers United before his departure.
Kees started as a butcher in the supermarket world on the shop floor. After 20 years, he closed the 'shop door' behind him as Director of Buying & Merchandising at Super de Boer/Jumbo. He made the switch to the fresh produce world as the final manager at Coöperatie FruitMasters. Here, under the motto 'back to basics,' things were put in order first, with the members' interests being the starting point. The focus was therefore placed on the highest possible yield price with the lowest possible costs. In recent years, under his leadership, there was a strong focus on growth and sales expansion. A substantial investment agenda aimed at automating and robotizing the chain contributed to this growth. He also held various board positions in the horticulture sector during this period.
"When Growers United called a short while ago, I didn't have to think very long. At the various board tables where I sat in recent years, I always looked with appreciation at the energy and strength of the relatively young growers' cooperative Growers United, always under the motto: 'We just pick it up and do it together.' Add to that my desire to contribute to healthy food and a sustainable sector. Together with the members, staff, and board, I hope to be able to work in the coming years to strengthen the foundation of Growers United," said De Kat.
"With his broad experience both within a large producer cooperative and on the market side, Kees is the right man in the right place as the position of our General Manager became vacant. We are delighted that we were able to find a good successor for Jan so quickly," says Jack Groenewegen, Growers United's grower chairman. "He is results-oriented, has a lot of experience, and can take Growers United to the next phase, I am convinced of that," Jack said.
For more information:
Growers United 
www.growersunited.nl