With new hires and staff promotions in place, Georgia’s Shuman Produce recently announced a name change and rebranding to Shuman Farms.
The Reidsville onion grower/shipper, known for its year-round supplies of sweet onions, said Shuman Farms will be the “umbrella company overseeing the well-recognized and industry-leading brands RealSweet® and Produce for Kids®.”
A press release from the operation said that as part of this year’s rebranding, “… there are several internal Shuman Farms staff promotions as well as the appointments of Frank Fox, chief financial officer, Adam Brady, director of marketing, and Jennifer Gooch as sales manager.”
The release said that internal promotions include Brandon Parker to director of sales; Trish James to chief marketing officer; Johnny White to senior sales manager; and Erin Waters to sales manager. Amanda Keefer is managing director of Shuman Farms owned Produce for Kids.
Company President/CEO John Shuman said, “The recent promotions and appointments are integral in the success of our growth and rebranding. These strategic placements will position us for success in 2019 and beyond.”
Fox comes to Shuman Farms with more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience serving as CFO at both Palmetto Propane Fuels & Ice Inc. US Fibers and McEntire Produce Inc. as well as controller at Walter P. Rawl & Sons Inc. He will oversee financials for Shuman Farms.
Brady brings more than eight years in the produce industry to his marketing director role, most recently as senior marketing manager at Golden Sun Marketing overseeing various accounts. Gooch has eight years’ sales manager experience at Mizuno USA, Inc, in roles that included product development and distribution.
In-house, Parker served as sales manager at Shuman Farms for 10 years before becoming director of sales. James will continue to oversee operations at Produce for Kids as part of her new role as chief marketing officer and Keefer, who was director of marketing communications at Produce for Kids, is now managing director.
The company, which has been integral to the Vidalia onion industry for more than three decades, was restarted from the family farm in the early 1990s by John Shuman. Through his leadership and oversight, the operation was rebuilt to its current stature, “a vertically integrated organization that brings quality products from seed to shelf to retailers across the US and Canada.” It has, over the years, “earned its reputation in the industry by delivering premium quality sweet onions to customers and staying true to its core values.”
John Shuman said in the release, “This change reflects our company’s core business and a return to our roots as a generational family farm. In addition to our own production, our RealSweet brand is supported by a family of farms in Vidalia and Peru supporting our 12-month sweet onion program. We are thrilled to bring our brands together to support our foundation of producing quality sweet onions and giving back to the communities where our products are sold.”
In 2002, Shuman founded Produce for Kids®, a “cause-marketing organization dedicated to creating a healthier generation and giving back to families across the country. Since the program’s inception, Produce for Kids has raised more than $6.7 million for families and children in need.”
And as one of this year’s Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure exhibitors, Shuman Farms will have a team on hand to greet show attendees at booth 1101. “In addition, all are welcomed to join the Produce for Kids’ reception on Friday, March 8, at 5 pm to learn more about the program and how they are creating a healthier generation,” the release said.
