General Produce Welcomes Industry Veteran Jeff Sacchini as CEO
SACRAMENTO, CA - I always love when I can welcome a friend into the Northern California fold, and I believe that General Produce Company is feeling that sentiment as well. The leading-edge, family-owned wholesale distributor of fresh produce and specialty foods has named Jeff Sacchini as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.
“I’m honored to be joining a company that has such a rich history and an outstanding reputation throughout Northern California and beyond,” Sacchini shared. “I plan to use my 30-plus years of experience in our marketplace to build upon the strong foundation that multiple generations of the Chan family have created."
The new position, continued customer satisfaction, and facility improvements will allow Jeff to utilize his many talents and seize new opportunities for General Produce.
“We are fortunate to have an individual of Jeff’s caliber to take over the leadership of our third-generation family business and guide it successfully into the future,” Tom Chan, current CEO, stated. “As we consider the future longevity and viability of our 86-plus year family business, a necessary next step was in order.”
Jeff will take the leadership reins from business partners and cousins Dan Chan and Tom Chan, who will remain as Owners/Partners and serve in advisory roles throughout the transition.
The wealth of industry experience with this fresh produce leader runs deep as does his passion and energy for the business. From his roles as Co-Founder of Piranha Produce and leading Sysco/FreshPoint as its President of the U.S. Western Region to his stature as Co-Founder of Hawaii-based Living Foods Gourmet Market & Café, Jeff brings with him an eye on the future and exciting plans for strategic growth at General Produce.
“As our new CEO, Jeff’s vast industry experience and proven track record are a great addition to lead our company into the future,” President Dan Chan reflected.
Vital to moving the company forward and elevating its value, Jeff’s vision for growth and positive momentum includes new technologies, warehouse management systems, and strengthening a diverse workforce, according to a press release.
Being a Sacramento native, I love a good story about a company like General Produce, which has a unique and compelling history steeped in strong values and integrity. Long-standing customer, employee, and vendor relationships have strengthened loyalties in the communities the company serves and with Jeff’s leadership the team will raise the bar in its industry presence as well.
Congratulations, Jeff, on joining the General Produce family—and to the company, on all the exciting plans ahead!