Bako Sweet Expands Team to Support Sales, Marketing & Supply Chain Growth
March 12, 2026 | 4 min to read
New Hires Strengthen Customer Partnerships and Continued Category Expansion
BAKERSFIELD, CA – As the number one brand in sweet potatoes, Bako Sweet ® is strengthening its team with new hires in sales and marketing to support the existing sales and supply chain team. The additional staff reinforces Bako Sweet’s focus on delivering strong customer partnerships, category expertise, and supply chain management for retail and foodservice partners nationwide.
“Bako Sweet continues to grow, and building the right team is essential to delivering on our promise to customers and consumers,” explains Susan Noritake, vice president of sales and marketing at Bako Sweet. “Each of our talented professionals brings unique strengths that will help us continue to drive category growth and provide our retail partners with the unmatched customer service they’ve come to expect from us.”
Joining the Bako Sweet team are Brian Porter, Business Development Manager; Katie Vierra, Marketing Specialist; and Zachary Wakefield, Sales Account Manager. The existing team includes Bailey Reyneveld and Hannah Rocha. Reyneveld started at Bako Sweet as a sales associate and has since been promoted to the position of sales account manager, successfully establishing her role over the past few years. Rocha is the replenishment analyst for the team, effectively optimizing the supply chain efficiency for over four years.
Brian Porter joins Bako Sweet as the business development manager. He brings extensive experience in the produce industry with a proven track record of driving sales growth and operational performance. He previously worked at Safeway for nearly 40 years in a variety of positions, with the most recent being Regional Director of Corporate Produce. In this position, Porter generated double-digit annual sales and volume growth. He substantially increased department sales and profits by collaborating with senior management to develop and execute innovative programs and enhance policies.
Zachary Wakefield will focus on developing and strengthening relationships with retail and foodservice partners while identifying opportunities to expand sales for the Bako Sweet brand in his new role as a sales account manager. He previously spent over four years as an account executive for Wonderful Citrus, and prior to that, as a field representative for Kern County. Wakefield graduated from California State University, Bakersfield.
On the marketing side, Katie Vierra joins Bako Sweet as the marketing specialist. She will support brand initiatives, retail marketing programs, and consumer engagement campaigns, including social media and influencer strategies. Prior to joining Bako Sweet, Vierra worked at Harris Ranch and Beef Company as a social media manager. Prior to that, Vierra was a social media director at Central Valley Meat Company and a sales and marketing specialist at Soil Basics Corporation. She also worked as a digital media specialist at Mendez Media Marketing, Inc. She is a graduate of California State University, Fresno, with a degree in agriculture communications/journalism.
Rounding out the new hires, two established team members deserve recognition for their continued efforts and support of the successful Bako Sweet brand. Bailey Reyneveld is the sales account manager, and she has been working closely with retail partners to develop promotional programs, merchandising strategies, and category insights for over five years. Prior to joining Bako Sweet, she worked as a ranch supervisor for North Coast Vineyard Management, Inc., and as an intern for E & J Gallo Winery. Reyneveld graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in Agricultural Business and Management.
Hannah Rocha is the replenishment analyst for Bako Sweet. She has been in this position for over four years managing inventory levels, forecasting demand, and ensuring the supply chain provides timely deliveries. She will continue focusing on optimizing inventory management and demand planning to ensure consistent supply to retail partners nationwide. Before joining Bako Sweet, she worked as an export sales associate at Fiesta Fruit Inc. Rocha is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with an Agriculture Business degree.
“As the sweet potato category continues to grow, having a strong team in place allows us to deliver our premium quality Bako Sweet brand that sweetens your everyday,®” says Noritake. “I am excited to work with our three new team members who will complement the ongoing success with Bailey and Hannah.”
ABOUT BAKO SWEET®
For more than 75 years Country Sweet Produce, grower-packer-shipper of consumer brand Bako Sweet®, has been growing sweet potatoes in the country’s richest soil in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California, also known as “California’s Sweet Spot.” This land produces some of the best-tasting sweet potatoes on the market. Over the years, Bako Sweet has perfected the growing and harvesting process to ensure the highest quality and consistently-sized sweet potatoes. Today, Bako Sweet focuses on providing the largest variety of value-added, conveniently packaged sweet potatoes, as well as bulk sweet potatoes and specialty offerings. For more information about Bako Sweet, visit bakosweet.com.