Leading fresh produce industry advocates join IFPA ANZ board

Two of Australasia’s fresh produce industry leaders have been appointed to the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) ANZ’s board of directors.

The two leaders are Perfection Fresh Australia chief commercial officer John Simonetta and New Zealand’s Jenkins Group Ltd managing director Cameron McInness. Both Simonetta and McInness were among the advocates who proposed the IFPA (formerly the Produce Marketing Association) establish an Australia-New Zealand branch in 2009. Perfection Fresh and Jenkins Group are long-term members and individually Simonetta and McInness have long been key supporters of the organisation’s activities.

IFPA ANZ managing director Belinda Wilson said Simonetta and McInness were elected with strong support from IFPA ANZ members, following an extraordinary number of highly accredited applicants for the board positions which became available at the annual general meeting on 20 December, 2024.

“It’s great to see so many members wanting to be part of our organisation, get involved in driving its strategic direction and ensure members are engaged and supported,” Wilson said.

The IFPA ANZ board comprises 10 fresh produce industry leaders who represent a range of sectors across the supply chain, including growers, marketers, retailers, technology innovators, researchers and strategy experts.

“I’m looking forward to working with other directors to ensure we engage with retailers and consumers to increase the consumption of fresh produce and create excitement around fruit and vegetables,” Simonetta said.

John Simonetta

“It’s an exciting time for the industry. Global trends show there is an increase in health and wellness and a rise in in-home dining. This is all great news for fresh produce consumption and presents opportunities to leverage. In terms of the environment, packaging is one of the important and major steps industry needs to take. It’s difficult to be green if you’re in the red, but it’s become more affordable and achievable for producers to work towards sustainable options.”

McInness said he was thrilled to be part of the IFPA’s efforts to champion the fresh produce industry across Australia and New Zealand.

Cameron McInness

“I’m particularly excited to contribute to initiatives that foster the next generation of talent, address evolving industry challenges like sustainable packaging, and drive innovation within our industry,” he said.

“One of the biggest industry challenges is the cost of labour in relation to productivity and automation. Australasia is undergoing rapid change in this space,” he said.

The new directors will be formally welcomed at the IFPA ANZ’s first 2025 board meeting to be held in conjunction with the first Executive Leadership Summit in Sydney on 13 March.

Top image credit: iStock.com/alvarez