Berry producer hires experienced marketer to lead marketing efforts
Salinas, CA – Naturipe Farms, one of the world’s largest producers of fresh berries, is pleased to announce Ashley Finster as its new Vice President of Marketing. Finster is a marketing professional with nearly three decades of management experience. Her experience spans management consulting, as well as senior marketing roles at various CPG and agriculture organizations. As VP of Marketing Finster will direct Naturipe Farms’ marketing, communications, and digital strategies.
“I am excited to be leading Naturipe’s marketing team and looking forward to sharing all the great things Naturipe is doing,” said Ashley Finster, Vice President of Marketing at Naturipe. “I joined Naturipe because we have so many shared values—innovation, creativity, and working with the customer in mind—and I’m enthusiastic about their mission of providing high-quality, good-for-you products year-round.”
Finster has a proven track record of putting brands front and center, developing relationships with retail and media stakeholders, and using data-based findings to boost the bottom line. Previously, Finster served as Chief Marketing Officer at SunFed Ranch, where she managed marketing, advertising, product development, category management, production of creative assets, and contributed to exponential retail and revenue growth. She has also held roles with Treasury Wine Estates, California Olive Ranch, Wonderful Citrus, and The Wonderful Company. In addition to her experience in consumer-facing business, Finster has provided strategic advice as a consultant at Deloitte and through contract work.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Ashley to the team,” said Jim Roberts, President of Sales at Naturipe Farms. “Ashley takes an analytical, customer-focused approach to marketing that will greatly serve not just Naturipe’s marketing efforts, but also our brand development and expansion goals. She has rich and varied experience working with major brands, and I’m looking forward to seeing how she applies that expertise to her work with Naturipe to achieve our key objectives for our growers, our customers and ultimately the consumers that purchase Naturipe’s Family of Products.”
As Vice President of Marketing, Finster hopes to develop Naturipe’s strategic marketing plan further, expand Naturipe’s reach, and solidify Naturipe as the berry of choice for customers. Finster will report to Roberts. She received her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and is based at Naturipe’s Salinas, CA office.
About Naturipe:
Naturipe is a farmer-owned producer and marketer of nutritious, best tasting, premium berries and avocados that has been an industry leader for more than 100 years producing healthy, deliciously fresh, frozen, and value-added products. Because our diverse grower base shares resources, skills, labor, and knowledge, we are better farmers and, in turn, strengthen the local farm community. Our focus on innovation ensures year-round availability of locally grown and Globally LocalTM conventional and organic fruit.
