Elgin, Minn. – Honeybear Brands, a leading grower and developer of premium apple varieties, welcomes Craig Arneson as business development director. The move follows several key operational leadership team additions over the past 12 months and prepares the company for continued growth in the coming fiscal year.
Arneson brings more than two decades of experience and proven success in the produce industry, most recently from C.H. Robinson and Target Corporation.
“I have always had a passion for the food industry,” says Craig Arneson, director of business development, Honeybear Brands. “As the population grows and the farmland shrinks, it’s important to add value to the equation. This position allows me to join a fast-moving production agriculture company and work closely with all members of the food chain to add that value.”
“Craig is an important addition to our evolving leadership team,” says Don Roper, vice president, sales and marketing, Honeybear Brands. “We’ve seen exponential growth over the past few years thanks to premium produce introductions such as Pazazz from our varietal development program, but also as part of year-over-year growth from our retail partnerships. Craig will help strengthen those relationships and grow our business offerings and opportunities across North America.”
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During his career, Arneson was general manager for the Northern region of C.H. Robinson, a leading third-party logistics and supply chain management provider, offering a variety of strategic global shipping and freight transportation. He also spent four years as senior group manager, produce sourcing, for retailing giant Target Corporation, the eighth largest retailer in the United States. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Food Management from University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
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About Honeybear Brands (www.honeybearbrands.com) 952-746-1315
Honeybear is a leading grower and developer of premium apple varieties. The company started as Wescott Agri Products, a family run apple orchard in the early 1970s. From that early start several generations ago, Honeybear still employs the same hands-on, personal attention to apple varieties produced through the Honeybear Apple Varietal Development Program. Honeybear is the leading grower of Honeycrisp in the Northwest and offers complete domestic and global apply supply integration from varietal development to growing, packing, shipping and retailer support.
