Westfalia Fruit has established a new Customer Development Team to support long-term category growth and improve collaboration with retailers and foodservice operators. The team, led by newly appointed Global Head of Customer Marketing and Development, Dani Busseni, combines expertise in market insights, commercial strategy, and category management.
"I am very excited to be joining Westfalia at this point in its history," says Busseni. "The new team represents Westfalia's investment in long-term market development by bringing together specialist knowledge to transform data into actionable growth strategies."
The team includes Elena Ozeritskaya as Insight Manager, focusing on market intelligence and data analysis; Ryan Brits as Category Manager, overseeing strategy development; and Aurélie Lamotte as Customer Development Manager, responsible for execution and local implementation.
© Westfalia Fruit
According to Chief Customer Officer Wim Destoop, the goal is to "unlock latent demand for avocados and avocado-based products by better understanding consumers, shoppers, customers, and supply dynamics."
The Customer Development Team will link commercial insights with operational realities, aligning supply-side capacity with market opportunities. "We analyze customer data but also develop thought leadership and insights that help retailers understand growth opportunities they might be missing," says Ozeritskaya. "We're seeing strong appetite for plant-based nutrition and fresh convenience avocado products, as well as ways to support growers through broader size utilization."
The group's activities include category modelling, trend tracking, and joint business planning with customers. Recent projects include developing global market demand models for guacamole, avocado oil, and frozen avocado, which are informing product planning and discussions with retailers.
By working alongside sales and marketing teams, the Customer Development Team helps align new product development with consumer demand and supply capacities. "Our role is to maximize demand and ensure the full crop finds a high-value, sustainable home," says Brits.
The company is also expanding the reach of its GEM® avocado variety, positioning it as a strategic premium brand. "We see GEM not just as a superior product, but as a long-term brand asset," says Lamotte. The company aims to strengthen year-round availability through global sourcing and post-harvest technologies, supported by a consistent brand identity and retail partnerships.
The Customer Development Team will present its category vision and innovation projects at Fruit Attraction 2025, where it will outline data-driven strategies to support sustainable growth across international markets.
© Westfalia FruitFor more information:
Janine Hatfield
Westfalia Fruit
Tel: +44 1322 425512
Email: [email protected]
www.westfaliafruit.com
Vera Kiseleva
EMG
Tel: +31 645 092 735
Email: vkiseleva@emg-marcom.com
