Press Releases
California Tree Fruit Agreement Generates Alignment with California Pear Advisory Board for Shared Retail Representation
2/23/2005
The California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA) today announced a new partnership with the California Pear Advisory Board (CPAB) to share their retail sales representatives for the 2005 season.
"CTFA's vision remains focused on the long-term viability of the tree fruit industry," said Blair Richardson, president of CTFA. "Accordingly, our marketing programs continue to evolve as we strive to meet the changing needs of our industry, retail groups and consumers. We have been strategically adjusting our resources to provide increasing structure to our programs and to enhance the cooperation between CTFA marketing programs and industry sales efforts. We believe the direction CPAB has taken in recent years is complementary to these efforts and the alliance between our merchandising staffs is another positive step to provide greater value for our industry."
Richardson noted that specifically, merchandising representation will be handled in the important Northeast and Canadian region by Ken Berger. Other new reps include Tom Flach in the Southeast and David Anderson in the mid-South. CTFA will continue to work with Matt Ellison in the West and Jim Hager in the mid-West.
Additional plans to supplement existing resources include hiring a new full-time national account director who will focus on major accounts and assist in coordinating CTFA retail programs with shipper efforts. This individual will be based in the CTFA headquarters to provide greater interaction with industry members.
Richardson indicated that CTFA is sensitive to the desires of the industry for increased accountability and measurable returns on investment, and he noted that clear performance goals for all program activities are a key factor in all CTFA programs. He explained that the primary focus of the 2005 domestic promotion program is to initiate innovative consumer promotions designed to increase consumer demand for fresh California peaches, plums and nectarines and to establish CTFA as a resource for growers, shippers and the retail trade.
Richardson urged industry sales and marketing personnel to attend a special Sales Desk Seminar on March 7, 2005 from 9 to noon at the Holiday Inn in Visalia to learn more detailed information about the 2005 promotion program and how it can assist the industry in selling the upcoming crop.
The California Tree Fruit Agreement, headquartered in Reedley, CA, administers marketing order programs on behalf of California`s 1,500 fresh peach, plum and nectarine farmers. Originally established in 1933, CTFA now includes the Peach Commodity Committee and the Nectarine Administrative Committee, both federal programs, and the California Plum Marketing Board, a state program.