WASHINGTON, DC - Two of Australasia’s prominent fresh produce industry leaders have been appointed to the International Fresh Produce Association ANZ’s board of directors.

They are Perfection Fresh Australia Chief Commercial Officer John Simonetta and New Zealand’s Jenkins Group Ltd Managing Director Cameron McInness. Both Mr. Simonetta and Mr. McInness were among the advocates who proposed the IFPA (formerly the Produce Marketing Association) establish an Australia-New Zealand branch in 2009. Perfection Fresh and Jenkins Group are long-term members, and individually, Mr. Simonetta and Mr. McInness have long been key supporters of the organization’s activities.

IFPA ANZ Managing Director Belinda Wilson said Mr. Simonetta and Mr. McInness were elected with strong support from IFPA ANZ members, following an extraordinary number of highly accredited applicants for the board positions which became available at the annual general meeting on December 20, 2024.

“It’s great to see so many members wanting to be part of our organization, get involved in driving its strategic direction, and ensure members are engaged and supported,” Ms. Wilson said.

The IFPA ANZ board comprises 10 fresh produce industry leaders who represent a range of sectors across the supply chain including growers, marketers, retailers, technology innovators, researchers, and strategy experts, a press release stated.

Mr. Simonetta has held various senior executive roles at one of Australia's largest privately owned fresh produce businesses, Perfection Fresh Australia since 1997, following a legal career. In his current role, he is responsible for all commercial operations including sales, supply, fulfilment and export. In addition to his IFPA ANZ directorship, he is a committee member of the Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association.

“I’m looking forward to working with other directors to ensure we engage with retailers and consumers to increase the consumption of fresh produce and create excitement around fruit and vegetables,” Mr. Simonetta said.

“It’s an exciting time for the industry. Global trends show there is an increase in health and wellness and a rise in in-home dining. This is all great news for fresh produce consumption and presents opportunities to leverage. In terms of the environment, packaging is one of the important and major steps industry needs to take. It’s difficult to be green if you’re in the red but it’s become more affordable and achievable for producers to work towards sustainable options.”

Mr. McInness was appointed Managing Director of fresh produce packaging innovator and supplier, Jenkins Group in September 2024. Previously, he was Director of New Ventures and Innovation, a role he held since 2018. His background is in general management and product commercialization.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the IFPA's efforts to champion the fresh produce industry across Australia and New Zealand. I’m particularly excited to contribute to initiatives that foster the next generation of talent, address evolving industry challenges like sustainable packaging, and drive innovation within our industry” Mr. McInness said.

“One of the biggest industry challenges is the cost of labour in relation to productivity and automation. Australasia is undergoing rapid change in this space,” he said.

Premier event a chance to meet directors

The new directors will be formally welcomed at the IFPA ANZ’s first 2025 board meeting to be held in conjunction with the first Executive Leadership Summit for the year to be held at Chifley Square Business Centre, Sydney on March 13. The ELS will be followed by the association’s premier member event, the exclusive Diamond-Platinum Executive Dinner at Bridge Marquee, Sydney Harbour later that evening.

Open only to Diamond members and Platinum partners, the dinner is a chance for members to meet the board and welcome the new directors. Ms. Wilson encouraged all applicable members and partners to register.

Board Chairman Richard Byllaardt welcomed the new directors and said it was encouraging that long-term members were deeply invested in supporting and driving the industry.

Membership continued to grow year-on-year. A key focus this year would be on developing a strategy targeting membership growth, he said.

Register for ANZ Diamond-Platinum Executive Dinner here.