Behind The Fruit - The Fresh Produce Podcast

Jenny Du never expected a postdoctoral chemistry project to lead to co-founding a company focused on reducing food waste. As employee number two at Apeel Sciences, she helped take an idea from a garage in California to a business working with citrus and avocado growers around the world. Along the way, she has moved between research, regulatory affairs, supply chain, communications and external aff...

Nuria Pizan spent years building SanLucar into one of the most recognisable brands in fresh produce. In this episode, she talks about what it actually takes to go from a name and an idea to a brand people trust and reach for. She covers why most produce companies focus on the wrong things, how putting growers at the centre of their campaigns changed everything, and what she learned leading a team...

From Peru's Desert Farms to European Shelves: Building a Global Fruit Business | Arturo Hoffmann Harrison, Talsa Group What does it take to build a multi-country fruit operation from the ground up - and lead teams across continents while doing it? In this episode, Lucy is joined by Arturo Hoffmann Harrison, Chief Commercial Officer of Talsa Group, a Peruvian family-owned agribusiness producin...

Welcome to Behind the Fruit! About LCR International LCR International supports senior hiring across the global fresh produce sector. We work with businesses where roles require a mix of technical, commercial, and leadership experience, often across regions. Typical support includes:  • Retained executive search  • Talent mapping and competitor insight  • Org structure and succession planning If y...

What would you do if your business lost €100 million almost overnight? In this episode of Behind the Fruit , Lennart van den Heuvel, CEO of Fruitful Ventures, shares the reality behind leadership in the fresh produce industry. From growing up in a fruit family to stepping into leadership at 29, Lennart’s journey looks like a typical success story on the surface. It wasn’t. He talks openly about lo...

In this episode of Behind the Fruit , Lucy Robinson speaks with Kim Chackal , VP of Sales and Marketing and co-owner of Equifruit . Kim shares how she moved from event planning into fresh produce, and why she chose to channel her career into something with real impact. They talk about building a Fair Trade banana brand in a category dominated by global players, what it takes to shift retailer beha...

In this episode of Behind the Fruit , Lucy Robinson speaks with Patrick Hook, former CEO of AVO America, about leadership across cultures, private equity in agriculture, and why mindset matters more than technical expertise. Patrick’s career spans forestry, timber private equity, Harvard’s natural resources portfolio, and operational leadership across Chile and Peru. He shares how a solo walk acro...

In this episode of Behind the Fruit , Lucy Robinson speaks with John Elliott, Founder of ELR Executive in Sydney, Australia. With nearly 30 years in executive search across FMCG, fresh produce and food & beverage manufacturing, John shares: 🍏 How executive hiring has evolved over three decades  📦 Why supply chain leadership is now mission-critical in fresh  📊 The commercial shift in founder...

The conversation delves into Mark's journey to leadership, his non-traditional route, the role of values, the evolution of his management style, hiring for growth and diversity, traits for senior roles, assessing curiosity in interviews, and deliberate growth of leaders. Key takeaways include the importance of empowering others and the critical role of curiosity and a love of learning in lead...

The conversation covers Ele Gower's journey in the fresh produce industry, her experience in Ethiopia, and her role at One Acre Fund. It delves into the challenges of career progression, understanding good growth, hiring challenges, culture fit, and remote hiring. Ele shares advice for the next generation of leaders in the fresh produce industry, emphasising the importance of passion, leaders...

In this episode of Behind the Fruit, Lucy is joined by CarrieAnn Arias for an honest conversation about stepping into leadership at the very top. CarrieAnn shares her journey from VP to CEO, what that shift really changes day to day, and how her view of leadership has evolved along the way. They talk openly about leading remote teams, building trust and culture when people aren’t in the same room,...

The conversation covers Jorge Reig's career transition from finance to the fresh produce industry, his experience as a managing director, strategic and transformational work, managing teams through change, achieving growth in fresh produce, and his desired legacy and advice for future leaders in the industry. Key takeaways include insights into career transitions and leadership skills. Takeaw...