June 27, 2007

Index Fresh Appoints Giovanni Cavaletto as COO

Dana Thomas, president of Index Fresh, announced today the appointment of Giovanni Cavaletto to the position of Chief Operating Officer of the company. “Giovanni brings his valuable field experience in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties to the Executive Board of Index Fresh. His experience and understanding of both local and international markets are greatly appreciated,” Thomas said.

A native of Nipomo, California, Cavaletto is a third generation farmer, Giovanni has been with Index for twelve years, having served as a fieldman in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since 1997, where he was responsible for working with growers. He holds an MBA from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. In conjunction with his Index work, Giovanni farms both avocados and lemons in the Nipomo foothills. He has lived in the avocado growing region of Mexico and has traveled to Chile. He is familiar with global cultural practices in the industry.  

When recently asked about his appointment as Chief Operating Officer to the company, Cavaletto said, “I am looking forward to the challenges of this position, to expanding my knowledge and growing with Index Fresh. With the expansion that is currently occurring in the entire sector – from international imports to the California market – I anticipate many changes and innovations to occur within the industry in the near future.”

Index Fresh, Inc. is a grower-owned packing, marketing and shipping company located in Bloomington, CA. Index Fresh remains strongly committed to keeping Index growers, customers and trading partners on the cutting edge of the produce industry. The company distributes premium avocados and Asian pears from California to New York, and supplies large retailers, small specialty retailers, and food service.

Index Fresh has been in business since 1914, and became a cooperative in 1929. In 1991 Index Fresh entered the import avocado business to supplement the high demand and to broaden the California base, offering year-round avocados to its customers. Imports are from Chile and Mexico. The firm incorporated in 1999.