Summerland, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Okanagan Specialty Fruits® (OSF), the developer and grower of the delicious Arctic® apple varieties, is pleased to announce it is expanding its executive team. Daryl Johnston has joined the company as Vice President of Sales and Business Development, and Don Westcott was promoted to the post of Senior Vice President.
“Over the past five years, Don has proven to be a very dedicated and capable member of our executive team. While he will continue to play a central part in leading the company’s operations team, his new position will also see him take a more active role in strategic business matters,” says Neal Carter, President of OSF. “I’d like to congratulate Don on his promotion, which is very well-deserved.”
A Bachelor of Arts graduate from the University of North Carolina, Daryl Johnston joins OSF as a proven leader in generating sustainable and profitable growth in the fresh produce, frozen processing, and consumer packaged goods industries. He brings over 32 years of food and beverage experience to the OSF team, including work with Dole Fresh Vegetables, Southern Specialties, and most recently, Titan Farms Sales and Palmetto Processing Solutions.
“OSF is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. Expanding our executive team into more department-focused roles, and ensuring we have strong leadership in place, will play a vital role in our continued success,” explains Carter. “We feel very fortunate to welcome Daryl to the team and are certain his vast experience and network will contribute immensely to increase Arctic apple availability throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining OSF and bringing my skillset to this vertically-integrated company,” states Johnston. “Arctic apples are such an amazing product, and their superior freshness and 28-day shelf life offers new opportunities that are waiting to be explored. I’m looking forward to helping lead the company into a market-leading position.”
Those interested in discussing potential opportunities can reach Johnston via email at djohnston@okspecialtyfruits.com.
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About Okanagan Specialty Fruits & Arctic Apples
Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF) is a vertically integrated company specializing in the development, growing, processing, and marketing of novel tree fruit varieties developed through bioengineering and other molecular tools. Based in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada, OSF was founded in 1996 and acquired by an affiliate of Third Security, LLC in 2020. OSF’s flagship product is its Arctic apple varieties. Arctic apples provide a sustainable solution to less food waste and improved apple consumption. For consumer information, visit www.arcticapples.com; for company information and partnership opportunities, visit www.okspecialtyfruits.com.
