Westfalia Fruit International has announced that industry veteran Johnathan Sutton has been appointed to fill the newly created role of Executive of Safety & Environment for the multinational group.

With effect from June 1, Sutton will be tasked with driving the Westfalia towards greater heights of sustainability, refining systems and protocols to ensure optimal levels of compliance with regards to environmental impact, food safety, and the health and safety of employees.

Sutton is a leading food industry professional with high-level procurement, technical and commercial knowledge, gained over decades in the retail sector, Westfalia says.

He is an advocate and coach of continuous improvement and has a drive for lean efficiency across all pillars of the industry. A proven team leader, he is also committed to people development, product innovation, sustainability and strategic sourcing.

“At a time when the world’s attention is focused on the preservation of health, safety and the environment, John is a welcome addition to our Westfalia Fruit family,” notes Group CEO Alk Brand.

“He’s also a staunch supporter of the values that have been upheld by the Group since it was founded over seven decades ago.”

It’s this heritage, together with a clear vision for the future, that will help drive the group towards continuous improvement of food and people safety as well as sustainability for all its global business units, says Brand.

The announcement comes on the eve of #WorldEnvironmentDay, which raises awareness of the need to “build back better for People and Planet”, especially during these exceptional times. 

Established in 1949, the Westfalia Fruit Group supplies fresh produce and related value-added products to international markets. An integrated supply chain incorporating all activities ‘from pip to plate’ enables it to market quality fruit from across the globe throughout the year.

For more information visit www.westfaliafruit.com, @WestfaliaFruit and #avoexperts.