Agriculture Capital Taps Darren Filkins as President, to Oversee Suntreat Sales and Marketing and More
DINUBA, CA – As the company looks towards accelerated growth, sustainable real asset investor Agricultural Capital (AC) has brought an industry veteran into the fold as its new President. Darren Filkins will serve in the position for AC’s Dinuba, California-based operations subsidiary.
“AC is taking a hands-on operator approach to responsible growing, harvesting, packaging, and marketing of fresh fruits and nuts that support healthy people and healthy communities,” Filkins stated. “The company’s vertical integration investment model creates an opportunity for seasoned operators, like me, to lead diverse teams with a shared commitment to excellence, accountability, transparency, and stewardship. It exemplifies the type of progressive agriculture company that I wanted to be associated with.”
Filkins officially joined the AC team on May 1, 2017. In his new role, according to a press release, Filkins will have oversight over the following operations:
- Suntreat sales and marketing
- Central Valley farming operations
- Tree Source Nursery
- AC Foods Legacy packing and shipping in Dinuba, CA
- AC Foods Lindsay packing and shipping in Lindsay, CA
Filkins comes to the company with a wealth of produce knowledge. He brings a proven track record to AC from time spent with Fresh Choice Produce, D’Arrigo Brothers, Tanimura & Antle, and Bolthouse Farms. Filkins also served as CEO during his tenure with the Nickel Family.
“Darren joins our team with extensive knowledge of the grower side of the business, as well as packing, processing, and distribution experience across several different types of produce,” said Tom Avinelis, Principal. “Darren has traversed the agricultural landscape from citrus, almonds, lettuce, and carrots, to tomatoes and alfalfa. His experience in sales, farm management, and organization systems management, as well as his track record of building trust and respect are the cross-range of skills that we have been looking for to lead our operations group.”
The timing of Filkins’ hiring is especially fortuitous as the company’s packing and shipping facility, AC Foods Legacy, is undergoing a citrus line automation project. The facility’s new state-of-the-art sorting and packaging technology will help make the company a premier packing a shipping facility in the fresh produce industry.
“We are in a great position for the future,” stated Filkins. “We control every aspect of the process from seed-to-fork. We could not be better set up for success. It is a privilege to lead this team.”
In his new capacity, Filkins will also work closely with AC Foods farm managers as Suntreat increases its Sumo Citrus acreage, Cara Cara, and Blood Orange acreage, in addition to its high-brix navel and Valencia program.
Congratulations to Darren Filkins on this appointment!
