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Village Farms Fresh Gives back to Local Texas Veteran through Partnership with Military Makeover

Village Farms Fresh recently partnered with the special home improvement series, Military Makeover hosted by Montel Williams. The company is featured in episode 2 of season 36 that airs on Lifetime TV beginning Friday, November 17 at 7:30am ET and PT. Decorated U.S. Army veteran Carlos Colón-Ruiz who resides in Arlington, Texas, along with his family, receives an awesome complete home remodel during the series.

**Pictured left to right: Infantry Sergeant Carlos Colón-Ruiz, the Colón-Ruiz family, Carlos Colón-Ruiz & President George W. Bush**

“Village Farms Fresh is honored to partner with Military Makeover on this series in support of the Infantry Sergeant Colón-Ruiz, an outstanding veteran and exemplary human being. Our company has deep roots in Texas, with a team that was profoundly inspired to help with this veteran’s surprise home renovation,” said Michael DeGiglio, President & CEO of Village Farms International. Mr. DeGiglio is a veteran himself who served in the U.S. Navy as an officer and jet aviator, as well as in the Naval Air Reserves, and retired at the rank of Captain.

During Colón-Ruiz’s military career he was deployed to Afghanistan where he suffered serious injuries in the line duty. He was awarded the prestigious purple heart by then President George W. Bush and received an Infantry Badge and Army Commendations medal.

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Michael and his entire team at Village Farms Fresh. Their support of our show helps us provide these life changing makeovers for our deserving Veterans and we’re grateful to have had them on Military Makeover,” said Scott Moss, President & EVP of Programming for Military Makeover and BrandStar Entertainment.

A group of Village Farms Fresh employees who reside in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where the company has a Distribution Center, volunteered their weekend to help in the renovation of the veteran’s home. The company has a history of giving back to communities in Texas and feels a strong affinity to helping veterans, not to mention has several veterans in the company, including one who volunteered that day to help with the renovation.

**Village Farms Fresh volunteer team with Village Farms International Inc., President and CEO, Mike DeGiglio**

Brandon Jamison, Director of Quality Assurance for the company and Army veteran who served in Iraq, had this to say, “The military taught me a work ethic and a need for a sense of mission completion. Village Farms Fresh giving back to those that are deserving and have made sacrifices for our country is something I am proud to be a part of.”

Village Farms Fresh’s heritage as a long-standing continuously-owned tomato greenhouse grower as well as the largest tomato producer in the Great State of Texas was discussed by DeGigilio with show co-host Art Edmonds during this episode.

**pictured left to right: Michael DeGiglio, U.S Navy, Brandon Jamison, U.S Army deployed in Iraq**

The afternoon of volunteer work would not have been complete without a Texas style bar-b-que in the backyard of the veteran’s home cooked up by a local chef while the teams finished up their efforts. The Village Farms Fresh volunteers and Military Makeover crew devoured the food served featuring local produce grown at the company’s environmentally friendly Texas greenhouses. Juicy Beefsteak® tomatoes were the main course of a scrumptious BLT sandwich. While a mouth-watering Caprese salad was served featuring Sinfully Sweet Campari® tomatoes. Yummy Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes were grill-roasted then slathered in chimichurri sauce. All made for a tasty and productive afternoon of Village Farms Fresh’s giving back.

pictured left to right: Village Farms Fresh volunteers, Derin Gemmel and Taylor DeLeon with Military Makeover designer, Jennifer Bertrand,
Mike DeGiglio behind the camera, Sinfully Sweet Campari Caprese salad

The heartfelt mission of the day on this volunteer weekend left a feel-good impression for all who attended. The company gifted the family handpicked items for their new kitchen including a huge basket of Village Farms produce along with culinary accompaniments for the family to prepare their favorite healthy dishes. Taylor DeLeon, Quality Control and Sales Administrator for the company, who was a volunteer that day and helped with the staging of these items in the veteran’s new kitchen had this to say, “It was a joyful afternoon full of grit and fun. I am proud the company championed this valuable effort to help a well deserving veteran who gave to his country so selflessly”.

Socially responsible initiatives such as this partnership with Military Makeover showcasing Village Farms Fresh’s giving back to the communities it serves, and especially veterans, have always been important to the company in their Great Home State of Texas. To view our 2 min segment in the episode please click here.

About Military Makeover with Montel®

A BrandStar Original, is America’s leading branded reality TV show that offers hope and a helping hand here on the home front to members of our military and their loved ones. A veteran of both the Marine Corps and the Navy, talk show legend and military advocate Montel Williams, who creatively co-produces the show along with a colorful cast that seeks to transform the homes and lives of military families across the country. The cast includes co-hosts Art Edmonds and designer Jennifer Bertrand. This special series enlists caring companies of all sizes as well as non-profits and the local community. Military Makeover airs on Lifetime® and on the American Forces Network which serves American servicemen and women, Department of Defense and other U.S. government civilians and their families stationed at bases overseas, as well as U.S. Navy ships at sea. Help starts at home for veterans on Military Makeover. Join us as our makeover team engages to change the living situation – and the lives – of these deserving families.

About BrandStar

We’re matchmakers; connecting People to Brands to Do Life Better. BrandStar has unparalleled experience in creating customized educational content for brands with laser targeted extensive distribution through their multi-channel network ecosystem and methodology. From Original television programming on Lifetime, BrandStar.tv, social media, digital marketing, to media management and PR; BrandStar helps brands connect with the right consumer, at the right time, with the right message, through all the right channels.

About Village Farms Fresh

Village Farms Fresh, a wholly owned subsidiary of Village Farms International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VFF), is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow is all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily while utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms Greenhouse Grown® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms Fresh has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms Fresh is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by. And this is why it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

Social Responsibility

Sustainability

Village Farms’ Far West Texas Farming Phenomenon and a Woman’s Perspective on AG

Village Farms has been farming in the Chihuahuan Desert, also known as the “Big Bend Region”, just north of the USA and Mexico border, for almost three decades. Here the company is rolling out a whopping 112 million pounds of fresh produce a year, all from their greenhouses located just outside the towns of Marfa and Fort Davis. Both small towns are at an average elevation of approximately 4700 feet above sea level, with temperatures that can range from a high of 100+ degrees Fahrenheit to low of 0 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the time of year.

“Extraordinary” would be a term that comes to mind, but even more so once you meet some of the farmers who brave this climate and manage Village Farms’ high-tech Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) greenhouses. Village Farms’ CEA indoor farming boasts higher yields using less land and significantly fewer precious natural resources compared to open field farming, such as water, because they grow hydroponically and can recirculate their irrigation water time and time again. Village Farms is a leader in CEA, where inside the enclosed glass greenhouses towering plants are thriving, creating a beautiful indoor garden, while outside an extremely foreboding climate awaits in the desert of Far West Texas.

One such person who manages all this beauty and precision with her expertise in CEA is Abby Lange, Facility Manager for Village Farms Marfa I greenhouse. Abby started with Village Farms as an intern over 8 years ago while pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture, and a degree emphasis on Greenhouse Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She now manages 20 acres of Tomatoes-on-the-Vine (TOV) destined for local markets and valued customer-partners including the renowned Texan Grocery chain HEB, for their Texas Roots program, which the company supports.

Abby’s responsibilities include keeping the greenhouse climate and irrigation ideal for the tomato crop she oversees, prioritizing maintenance activities, keeping the packhouse running as efficiently as possible, continually updating the company’s production forecast with the most accurate information available, assisting in the training of personnel, while keeping all of the above on time and under budget. She also told us, “As an intern I saw a broad range of jobs and work within the company, from Packing to biological control to Human Resources, but instead of merely studying these areas of expertise and helping with basic tasks, I now coordinate them all. It falls to me to ensure that communication is smooth among the Greenhouse, the Packhouse, Maintenance, our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) team, Human Resources, Sales, and our Safety and Compliance teams, and that the work of all these teams is optimized considering the current climate, the market, our staff, and the crop.”

On a personal level, Abby’s goal is to work cross functionally to streamline the company’s crop change processes to be better able to produce more weeks out of the year, and, as she notes, “to never become set in my ways, as there is always more we can do to improve.” Abby also told us that she sees automation as one of the biggest growth opportunities for Village Farms in Texas. “Everyone is short on staff these days, so we can use automation to position our staff more effectively while making their jobs less physically intensive,” she mentioned. Abby thinks that data utilization is another prime opportunity and noted, “We have decades of climate, yield, and sales data at our disposal, and we are using it more and more, but I think we can implement more advanced analytical models to leverage all that data.”

The multi-dimensional aspect of Abby’s role is a big part of her day-to-day and, from what she shared with us, one of her favorite aspects of her job. “I absolutely love telling our employees when they’re doing a great job or thanking them for what they do. Seeing the crop well cared-for, or a case of beautiful tomatoes beautifully packaged, gives me an energy like nothing else, so I make a point of reflecting that energy back to the people who make it possible to grow tomatoes in the desert day after day. I’ve heard visiting growers say that the crops and yields we achieve shouldn’t technically be possible here, so it’s something to be proud of,” Abby told us.

However, Abby also says her role does not come without worry, especially considering the climate in the region. “Sometimes it’s wind, sometimes it’s hail, sometimes it’s pathogens or pests, but in any agricultural effort, there are many factors inherently outside of our control”.

Village Farms is fortunate to have Abby on their team, and the company is glad she found them. Abby told us, “Village Farms came to my university during my junior year and presented information about the company’s expansive greenhouse cultivation and sustainable methods. I submitted my resume to apply for a summer internship because I was amazed at how big and productive the company was with such an intensive cultivation system. My sustainable ag classes taught us that agriculture is normally intensive or extensive, but Village Farms was doing both at the same time, so I knew I had to be there.”

Abby sees a bright future for CEA growing, and Village Farms at large. She closed the interview by telling us, “I believe that food independence is of the utmost importance. We import myriad agricultural products because it’s cheaper than producing them here, but we never stop to look at the reasons why it’s more expensive to produce them here, or what might happen if the geopolitical or energy networks we have ever fail, preventing us from importing these things. If we want to be resilient as a nation or even as a globe, these factors need attention.” She also told us growing in the extreme climate of Texas has its benefits, “I’ve learned more about the costs of indoor or vertical farming, enough to know that it’s the free, carbon-neutral sunlight in our farming operation that is the true blessing.” And thankfully in Far West Texas there is an abundance of clear skies and sunshine for Abby to grow fresh tomatoes that are sought after by consumers around the US.

About Village Farms

Village Farms Fresh is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow are all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily while utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by. And this is why it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

News

Social Responsibility

Village Farms Supports Hope for the Holidays

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is working to provide healthy meals for kids and their families. Recently Village Farms Fresh has become part of this effort through a team volunteer endeavor in conjunction with their Mercy Kitchen location that provides meals to a variety of children’s after-school programs in the greater Orlando, Florida area.

A team from the Lake Mary corporate office comprised of employees from the Village Farms and Village Farms Fresh divisions spent a morning assembling nutritious meals for children at the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Mercy Kitchen location. In total 7500 meals were assembled for children. In combination with the volunteer effort, Village Farms Fresh is currently running a virtual food drive on their social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram, as part of the Second Harvest Foodbank “Hope of the Holidays” program where each $10 donation funds 40 meals.

According to Helen L. Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing & Communications for Village Farms Fresh, “It was a fun and engaging experience to be part of Mercy Kitchen’s day-to-day process and for us as a company to give back in this small way through a morning of volunteering. Super happy we prepared healthy and balanced children’s meals that included an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables”.

According to their website, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects, stores, and distributes donated food to more than 625 feeding partners in seven Central Florida counties. Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and Marion. Last year, with the help of numerous donors, volunteers, and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributed enough food for 81 million meals to partner programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, senior centers, daycare centers, and Kids’ Cafes. With a mission to create hope and nourish lives through a powerful hunger relief network, while multiplying the generosity of a caring community, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s vision of inspiring and engaging the community to end hunger and help neighbors thrive is one Village Farms Fresh is honored to take part in. For more information about Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and their efforts to fight hunger please visit their website at www.feedhopenow.org.

News

Social Responsibility

Publix’s Produce for Kids Cause-Marketing Campaign Donates 825,000 Meals

As Seen on The Packer

Thirteen produce partners provided 825,000 meals to local food banks through Feeding America when Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix ran its 20th Produce for Kids cause marketing campaign, ending June 28.

Every $1 donated to Feeding America, a national hunger-relief organization, helps secure at least 10 meals on behalf of member food banks, and 35 of these food banks in the Publix market area benefited from this campaign, according to a news release. The employee-owned company has about 1,280 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Signs were placed near produce partners in these stores, featuring QR codes leading shoppers to a free, bilingual, downloadable e-cookbook with recipes and tips featuring the campaign produce partners.

The Publix Produce for Kids campaign has 13 produce partners. Photos: Courtesy of Healthy Family Project

That in-store signage’s lifestyle approach included a call to action to learn more on the campaign’s website. Also, the produce partners were prominently featured in weekly ads beginning May 18.

“At Publix, we strive to make a positive impact in the communities we serve,” Publix Director of Community Relations Dwaine Stevens said in the release. “Healthy Family Project’s Produce for Kids campaign aligns with this mission, and we are proud to collaborate again this year.”

The campaign’s produce partners include Ayco Farms, CMI Orchards, Taylor Farms, Driscoll’s, Fresh Express, GT’s Living Foods, Sunset, Suja Juice, Marie’s, Red n’ Tasty, Shuman Farms RealSweet Onions, Village Farms, and Wonderful Pistachio.

A Facebook Live cooking class, hosted by Healthy Family Project’s Amanda Keefer and her daughter, focused on recipes from the e-cookbook and had a record viewership of 13,000. Produce suppliers were also highlighted in targeted social media content, including photos and videos in May and June.

“This 20-year collaboration has impacted countless families in various ways,” Shuman Farms President John Shuman said in the release. He’s also the founder of Healthy Family Project, which runs the Produce for Kids program. “We are proud to partner with produce companies [that] recognize the importance of giving back to the communities where [the] products are sold.”

Overall, the Publix Produce for Kids program has raised more than $3.6 million to benefit local charities and has donated more than 6.5 million meals to Feeding America member food banks within the seven-state Publix footprint since 2002, according to the release.

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Social Responsibility

Village Farms helps Publix Provide 700,000 Meals to Feeding America

As Seen on AndNowYouKnow

As it’s been said time and time again, children are the future, and to provide them with nutritious, healthy foods as they grow up, Publix and Healthy Family Project’s Produce for Kids once again teamed up for the retailer’s bi-annual Publix Produce for Kids cause-marketing campaign. The campaign ended June 16 with 12 produce partners coming together to provide 700,000 meals to 32 Feeding America^® member food banks in the Publix market area.

Dwaine Stevens, Director of Community Relations, Publix“At Publix, we recognize the importance of helping families achieve their wellness goals through innovative campaigns and programs,” said Dwaine Stevens, Publix Director of Community Relations. “Giving back to our local communities is at the core of our company culture, and we are proud to collaborate with Healthy Family Project for the Produce for Kids campaign.”

To help inspire shoppers to enjoy fresh produce from the dozen produce partners that took part in the campaign, newly designed signage was positioned near their products in more than 1,200 Publix locations. According to a press release, the displays featured QR codes leading consumers to a downloadable eCookbook featuring recipes, details on each partner, and a new section that showcases the sustainable practices of each supplier.

Produce for Kids has been working with Publix and its produce suppliers for 19 years, and through its cause-marketing campaign has raised more than $3.4 million for local families in need. With more than 42 million people across the U.S. facing food insecurity, according to Feeding America, the campaign plays a vital role in overcoming the issue.

John Shuman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Shuman Farms“We are proud of the impact the Produce for Kids campaign has been able to make in Publix communities over the years,” said John Shuman, Founder of Healthy Family Project and President of Shuman Farms. “This collaboration has not only helped families facing hunger, but also those tasked with planning meals for their families each week. It is our mission to help them find new and innovative ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal.”

In addition to signage, this year, Healthy Family Project’s Amanda Keefer and two junior chefs hosted a Facebook Live cooking class, with viewership of more than 12,000. A targeted social media strategy was also put in play, with photographs and videos highlighting participating produce suppliers throughout May and June.

Joining Produce for Kids and 12 produce partners, Publix provided 700,000 meals to 32 Feeding America® member food banks in its seven-state footprint

Publix produce suppliers for 2021 included Acosta Sales & Marketing, Ayco Farms, Coast Tropical, Driscoll’s^®, Fresh Express^®, Litehouse^®, Marie’s^®, Mission Produce, RealSweet Onions^®, SUNSET^®, Village Farms, and Wonderful^® Pistachios.

Since the partnership’s inception, the campaign has raised over $3.4 million to benefit local charities and has donated more than 5.7 million meals to Feeding America food banks within the seven-state Publix footprint since 2002.

Cheers to Produce for Kids and Publix for continuing to care for communities and in need through the power of fresh produce.

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Produce

Social Responsibility

Village Farms Supports Feeding America

Village Farms is pleased to take part once again in the annual effort with Produce for Kids, and its valued retail partner Publix, in support of Feeding America. Feeding America is the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, that helps 1 in 7 Americans and provides 4.3 billion meals annually to those facing hunger or are food insecure. The Healthy Family Project’s, Produce for Kids campaign will be providing 700,000 meals through 31 Feeding America Foodbanks within the Publix communities. The campaign launched May 19, 2021 in Publix stores and online and will run over the next several weeks ending June 16. Village Farms has been a proud sponsor of the Produce for Kids campaign for over a decade.

Village Farms signature tomato, Heavenly Villagio Marzano, a mini-San Marzano snacking tomato will be featured on Produce for Kids point of sale signage displayed in Publix stores as well as banners online announcing Village Farms as a sponsor. Product signage will feature a recipe and QR code that shoppers can scan to download free E-Cookbook featuring Village Farms’ recipes for a Burrata & Tomato Hand Pies and a Skillet Chicken with Tomatoes and Green beans that both use the Heavenly Villagio Marzano tomato. The recipes will also be highlighted in social media posts to more than 300,000 followers.

New to the campaign this year on The Produce for Kids website is a showcase of the sustainability practices of each campaign sponsor. Village Farms is highlighting its Clean Energy initiative where landfill gas is used as energy for its greenhouses and creates clean air the citizens in the greater Vancouver, CA area. This powerful messaging creates a link for consumers to help them better understand how their personal food choices can impact not only giving back to the community but by supporting brands that protect or improve the overall environment and by doing so that they are doing good for our planet.

Helen L. Aquino, Director Brand Marketing & Communication said, “We are happy to be able to support this great endeavor again this year with the Healthy Family Project during a real time of need in our country. Feeding America serves every community in the US, so their impact is tremendous. And Our Good for the Earth sustainability story is a wonderful platform for this message now, especially as more and more people are focused on plant-based diets and are looking to increase their intake of healthy fruits and vegetables”.

Click here for Press Release

Events

Social Responsibility

Village Farms Runs for the Cure

Village Farms Raises over $10,000 and Wins Pepsi Corporate Spirit Award at Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure

Delta, BC – October 1, 2018 – The Village Farms family came together to raise awareness for the Run for the Cure while exceeding their goal by raising more than $10,000 last week for the Canadian Cancer Society. In addition, Village Farms took home the Pepsi Corporate Spirit Award as the top fundraising corporate team at the CIBC Run for the Cure event on September 28, 2018 in Surrey, BC.

The Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure is a 5k or 1k walk or run that raises funds for Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). It is the largest single-day, volunteer-led event in Canada in support of the breast cancer cause. A team from Village Farms participated in the run lead by VP & Regional Facility Manager of Village Farms Delta, Dirk de Jong.

According to Lindsay Baldrey, Village Farms Foreign Worker Coordinator and team captain who spearheaded the fund raising efforts for the company, “It was really inspiring to see everyone come together, the response and support for this cause was overwhelming. Everyone was ecstatic that we received the Corporate Spirit Award and we’re really looking forward to seeing how we can grow even more next year!”

The Canadian Cancer Society invests the funds raised into breast cancer research, support services, health education and advocacy programs. Their mission is to reduce the number of people diagnosed with breast cancer, reduce mortality for those who develop the disease, and improve the quality of life for those affected.

Baldrey continued, “A huge thank you goes out to all the staff in our USA & Canada offices, as well as the Packhouse and Greenhouse workers, and our foreign workers who generously donated toward this important cause that we hope one day will find a cure”.

News

Social Responsibility

Village Farms Donates Time on #GivingTuesday

On November 28 a team from Village Farms and Produce for Kids celebrated #GivingTuesday by volunteering their time at Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando, Fla. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.

“Being able to give back to our community alongside friends from the produce industry is so rewarding,” said Helen Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing and Communications. “We are so grateful for the ability to do our part in assisting in the fight against hunger.”

The teams spent the morning sorting produce that would go on to make more than 4,000 meals. Second Harvest Food Bank provides an especially important service in the Orlando area because 1 in 6 Central Floridians are food insecure and 1 in 4 kids in the area are at risk of going to bed hungry. Second Harvest supplies more than 550 local nonprofit feeding programs to help combat those statistics.

#GivingTuesday is celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and has gained traction over the last six years amongst the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

About Village Farms
Village Farms is one of the largest producers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in North America. The food our farmers grow, along with other greenhouse farmers under exclusive arrangements are all grown in environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses. The Village Farms® brand of fruits and vegetables is marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms has been guided by sustainability principles that enable us to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms is Good for the Earth® and good for you.

See press release here.

News

Social Responsibility

Generation Next: It takes a Village to be successful, says Krysten DeGiglio

As seen in the November 27, 2017 issue of The Produce News
by Maggie Giuffrida

Growing up, Krysten DeGiglio was admittedly not a huge fan of tomatoes, but oh, how the times have changed now that the 30-year-old Holmdel, NJ, resident works as a regional sales manager for Village Farms — the oldest greenhouse grower in the United States, specializing in exclusive varieties of tomatoes, as well as cucumbers and peppers.

“I pop a Cherry No. 9 tomato like candy!” DeGiglio laughed. “The Heavenly Villagio Marzano is also one of my favorites. Although it’s great to snack on, I absolutely love to cook with it — and it is so versatile. If I’m trying to impress someone in the kitchen, it’s always my staple ingredient.”

A graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut, DeGiglio earned her bachelor’s and master’s of business administration degrees in accounting. While in college, DeGiglio studied abroad in Florence, Italy, for one semester.

“This experience sparked my interested to learn about different cultures and travel,” she said.

After graduation, DeGiglio worked for Ernst & Young for four-and-a-half years, and then did a short stint with a pharmaceutical company before discovering her true passion for the produce industry.

“I was invited to attend the PMA Fresh Summit show in 2013,” DeGiglio told The Produce News. “It was the first time I was really exposed to the produce industry and I fell in love with it. Since then, I thought this is where my passion lies, this would make for a fulfilling career.”

But there wasn’t an immediate “in” for DeGiglio, despite the fact that her father, Michael DeGiglio, is co-founder and chief executive officer at Village Farms.

“Truly being a public company, there are no family ties here,” DeGiglio noted.

So she waited patiently, and in August of 2015, DeGiglio got a call from her father about an opening in the Village Farms sales department.

“There was a need to hire a Northeast sales manager,” she recalled. “Village Farms entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Great Northern Hydroponics, a greenhouse grower with 70 acres of production capacity in Leamington, Ontario. This provided an opportunity to extend the company’s entire product line into the Northeast to new and existing customers, and gave Village Farms incentive to hire a millennial with a go-getter mentality.”

And just like that, DeGiglio knew she was the right person for the role. She interviewed with Bret Wiley, senior vice president of sales for the company, and a couple months later, DeGiglio was working her dream job.

“I will always remember what Bret told me before I joined the company,” she said. “He informed me that produce is one of the most challenging industries to work in and that I was going to need tough skin. Looking back over the last two years, I would have to say he was right.”

But those challenges haven’t come without their rewards.

“The most rewarding part for me is working for a company that I’m proud to represent. Village Farms is good for people and the planet,” she said. “I feel fortunate to be part of a team of experienced professionals. Many of my colleagues have worked in produce their entire careers. The knowledge they share is not something you can learn from a book — it’s invaluable.”

One of her greatest mentors, she noted, is her father, who without his help and guidance “this wouldn’t be possible.”

“I’ve never met someone who works so hard,” DeGiglio said. “He never gives up, he never stops, and he always follows through. Personally, I feel extremely fortunate to work for the company at the same time as my father. I get to observe what a great leader, friend, confidant and CEO he is to all at Village Farms.”

And being a part of that Village Farms family is something DeGiglio certainly does not take for granted either.

“Even though a lot of us work remotely, when we come together it truly feels like we’re a family, and that’s really unique,” she said. “It makes me want to keep working harder and harder.”

As far as obstacles she faces in her role as a sales manager, DeGiglio said those mostly revolve around fluctuating supply and demand, which can be difficult at times, but working with her team to identify and solve problems that arise is an essential part of the job.

“My position relies on all the other facets of this business, from production to transportation to marketing to sales. It’s a very integrated network, which is what I love so much about it,” she noted.

That sense of teamwork and camaraderie among her coworkers and clients is something DeGiglio plans to continue honing in on in the New Year.

“My goal is to take my relationships to the next level,” she said. “I want to become more of a consumer-focused specialist and help to integrate sales and marketing internally and externally, which in return will escalate the partnerships that we have.”

After all, it does take a Village.

News

Social Responsibility

Village Farms Employees Offer Irma Relief to Second Harvest Food Bank

In an effort to provide support post Hurricane Irma Village Farms employees volunteered their time at the local Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando, Florida. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida distributes tens of millions of meals per year through 550 local nonprofit feeding programs geared toward the most vulnerable people such as seniors and children. In addition, the Food Bank provides a vital emergency food supply for the community in time of need. Village Farms employees spent the morning sorting food donations slated for disaster victims residing in six counties in central Florida.

“Village Farms takes the business of growing food for people very seriously so having the opportunity to give back to our local Food Bank who makes it a business of feeding people in need was a real pleasure”, said Helen L. Aquino, Director Brand Marketing & Communication for Village Farms. “Our time spent here today really felt great and something we wish to partake in again very soon”.

For more information visit about Village Farms please visit our website at www.villagefarmsfresh.com.

See press release here.

News

Social Responsibility

Village Farms Donates to Relief Efforts for Victims of Hurricane Harvey

A vast expanse of 600 miles separates Village Farms’ greenhouse in Marfa, Texas from Houston but the distance to the heart is much closer. Bright and early this morning a Village Farms tractor trailer hit the road to bridge the span of this great distance loaded with fresh produce for the Houston Food Bank. Village Farms’ employees pitched in yesterday, Labor Day, a national holiday, to help pack the ten thousand plus pounds of fresh tomatoes slated for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

“Texas is a big state and many of us here at Village Farms have loved ones in Houston and the surrounding East Texas areas impacted by this storm, our hearts go out to them and so this is the least we can do to show we care”, said Jan Korteland, Regional Facility Manager of Village Farms in West Texas.

Village Farms is the largest greenhouse grower of locally grown fresh produce in Texas. Village Farms’ hand-picked vine ripened sustainably grown greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are sold in major retailers all over the state. Village Farms is hoping its donation to the Houston Food Bank will help keep Texas strong.

About Village Farms

Village Farms is one of the largest producers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in North America. The food our farmers grow, along with other greenhouse farmers under exclusive arrangements are all grown in environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses. The Village Farms® brand of fruits and vegetables is marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms has been guided by sustainability principles that enable us to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms is Good for the Earth® and good for you.

See press release here.